Trade union bans child labour in Unity state

By Bonifacio Taban Kuich

May 13, 2011 (BENTIU) – The chairman of Rubkotna traders union, James Kum Pan Nyuot stated on Friday they have now made the decision to ban girls under the age of 11 from working in the market.

According to the Rubkotna traders union, Unity state, four thirteen years-old tea sellers have been impregnated by traders in the county this year.

Child labour is a growing problem in Southern Sudan. There have been a number of pregnancies among under-age girls working in as tea sellers assistants in markets in Rubkotna county, Unity state.

“The reason why we stop them is because these girls are getting pregnant here in the market and they get earlier pregnant which can be danger during delivery,” Kum Pan told Sudan Tribune.

However many parents here are forced by poverty to send their children to work in the market. An 11 year old girl, who asked not to be named due to her age and for security reasons, denies the allegation that many girls are engaging in prostitution in the market.

“I’m coming here to do some work for the benefits of my brothers and sisters, but for the accusations that some young girls are being made pregnant by northern traders are not true,” She said.

Some tea sellers are also against the ban on girls working in the market.

“All these girls working in the market are assisting us and their parents in terms of generating money and if the government bans them from working in the market it will be difficult for our business,” said Fatima Alima who is a 30 year old northern tea seller.

She further appealed the government therefore to allow them to continue their work, in order to get money “for their parents and to buy bread for their family”.

(ST)