Unity state child labour, significant challenge in building a new nation – South Sudan
By Bonifacio Taban Kuich
March 24, 2011 (BENTIU) – Child labour appears to be growing in towns across South Sudan, as parents often have their kids work to help make ends meet. A child pushes a load down the dusty street, sweating under the mid-day sun is a common sight these days
Here in Rubkotna and other towns across Unity state, the numbers of children like Gorong working on the streets seem to be growing every day. The most common jobs for the boys are carrying heavy items in wheelbarrows or on donkeys across town. Young girls below 12 years work as assistants to tea ladies in the market.
Some kids are being forced to work by their parents in order to help make ends meet. Other parents are leading the children to head to the streets to feed themselves. Gorong said, he still attends school when he can, but many children are forced to work all year round. So far, the state government has done nothing to curb this common practice or to help the children.
Kulieng Jany Teni has been working in polishing shoes for four years. He says he is happy to do the work so he can earn some money. He says his parents agreed with his decision to do the work and helped with the family expenses.
He earns about 20SDG per day. In a place where jobs are few and the economy yet to recover from the war, this can make the difference between full and empty hands at the end of the day for Kulieng and his family.
State Minister of gender and child welfare, Nyachieng Biey Tuet told Sudan Tribune on Wednesday that her ministry is trying to protect children’s rights in the communities by monitoring their activities in various markets. She added, this is another way of exploiting children, rather than allowing them to learn in school. She said some parents are not responsible and prepare them to work in markets to earn them money.
Her ministry in collaboration with UNICEF is planning to assist orphans by offering them good schooling, and for those whose parents are alive, families are asked to at least fulfil their children’s basic needs.
(ST)
Tong-Tong
Unity state child labour, significant challenge in building a new nation – South Sudan
What a joke by this misnister!
How can you protect kids from working when you cannot employ their parents, and you cannot provide them (kids) with basic living needs? Is there a sustainable food for all kids or would you prepare them died at home when they can work and survive?
I prefer working kids than kids dying at home while the government’s ministers sit idolly sipping tea.
Hero
Unity state child labour, significant challenge in building a new nation – South Sudan
Our goverment need to do something about it. It’s not good to exploit our own Kids.
Jeti
Unity state child labour, significant challenge in building a new nation – South Sudan
Stupidity is not pride. How could Unity State post such news to the world to embarrass South Sudan. One day Unity State will give South Sudan shame because of their primitivity. Those kids should go to school and employ their parents instead.
Mapuor
Unity state child labour, significant challenge in building a new nation – South Sudan
Useless people always make irrelevant comments on this website.Its true that child labour is everywhere in the South & its worse in Central Equatoria,Northern Bhar El Gazal,Upper Nile,Unity ,Lakes & Eastern Equatoria.If you ask yourself why,the answer is simple.Those kids come from female headed house holds.What killed males??.The answer is plain and simple,it is war,war,war.Now people in those states are planning to go back to war & the situation is going to worsen.Lamentations,lamentations,lamentations
Jeti
Unity state child labour, significant challenge in building a new nation – South Sudan
Mapuor, I did know that you were one of the illiterate people who are on this site. How could you support such exploitation of young children at the ages of 10. In South Sudan, 90% of children lost their dads in war but their mums take care of them. Why is it only in Unity State and not in other states?
Haak
Unity state child labour, significant challenge in building a new nation – South Sudan
dear readers,l i think the minister’s must be dumbfounded kind of person. personally i don’t see comment that can hold water from her mouth. some how will agreed with some you your comments especially the last comment in capital letters, but leaving alone the orphans, what of children whose parents are still alive and they are watching their doing naughty work on the dusty streets of Bentiu? i think on my view, the government should take measure against parent who pour the children to street because basing on natural justice, its his or her obligation as parent to provides all the basic need of that child, so failure to do so the culprit should face justice, but still question of government not creating jobs opportunity will come in, what can be done about this? oh! i have no idea.
lastly, dear readers, the minister posed above is an Arabic literate pattern, remember Arabic as language is not official for big offices due to the fact that, there is no work plans, policy formulation, implementation measures, monitoring and evaluation of plans in Arabic syllabus so she/he is not oriented in any way for such big office, Arabic as language can best be offer as conning of ladies, streets talks etc so i wouldn’t blame that minister because she/he luck modern skills
thanks
Haakamadology
khan junior
Unity state child labour, significant challenge in building a new nation – South Sudan
guys,we don’t need to brake at each other as our journalist is coverage the significances of our weakness rather let show appreciations to Mr.Kuich for his courageous work and let declare all-out-war against child labor.It is against the law of our New Nation so let avoid it at one and for all
Son of Greater Equatoria
Unity state child labour, significant challenge in building a new nation – South Sudan
Some thing real bad about southerners is finger pointing. I read some blaming War etc.. The problem lays with GOSS the billions they stole should have build school for this kids.6 years after the war we still blaming North what going to happen after July 9? Wake Up South or the only solution is divide the south in three nation and see which one is going to develop. And done forget Unity got the curse oil.