There is need for partnership among all stakeholders to combat child labour in the country, the Minister for Gender and Family Promotion said.Oda Gasinzigwa made the appeal on Thursday while briefing journalists ahead of celebrations to mark the Day of the African Child due to be marked tomorrow in Rubavu District.The day will be celebrated jointly with International Day of Families and the Day against Child Labour.The move to combine the three events is aimed at achieving tangible results through pooled efforts of all relevant partners in the fight against child labour, according to the minister. International Day of Families and the world Day against Child Labour will be marked under the theme: “Advancing Social integration in the family, eliminating domestic child labour affecting children.”“The major objective of the celebrations is to collaboratively engage in fighting against child labour but after educating Rwandan community especially parents and guardians about the benefits of family social integration, and dangers of child labour to children’s right to proper growth,” said the minister.Major causes Anna Mugabo, the director general of labour and employment in the Ministry of Public Service and Labour cited poverty, family conflict, HIV and Aids among the major causes of child labour.She added that the Genocide contributed to large numbers of orphaned children and child labour. Noting that the fight against child labour is bearing fruits, Mugabo called for more emphasis on poverty eradication if the vice is to be curbed.She said the accepted working age is 18 though any child of 16 years of age is capable of doing light work that shouldn’t affect his or her health.The Integrated Household Living Conditions survey 2010/2011 conducted by National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda shows that 110,742 children within the age group 6-17 were working outside their own households in economic activities.About 40.8 per cent of children engaged in economic activities outside their own household were in agriculture sector, followed by 31.9 per cent engaged in domestic services, 8.1 per cent in construction, 2.7 per cent in industry; and 13.7 per cent in other activities such as trade, hotels and transportation.The celebrations will run for a week until June 23.
