Today marks World Child Labour Day, aimed at reflecting on achievements made in and intensifying action against child labor.

Namibia has recorded four cases of child labor since 2023.

Poverty is one of the major contributing factors to child labor, as children often have to assist their families to generate income in order to meet their basic needs.

For generations, children under the age of six have often been expected to look after livestock and tend to other home chores.

However, the Ministry of Labour explained that it is not considered child labour if the action has a positive impact and does not affect the child's health, personal development, and school.

The Public Relations Officer in the Justice and Labour Relations Ministry, Maria Hedimbi said, "The Namibian constitution, which is very fundamental for us to protect children against child labor, should therefore be a call for all of us to ensure that we try by all means possible to ensure that we do not engage in any form of child labour. Whether as parents, by sending our kids to do work that is depriving them of their childhood, or whether as a society of Namibia."

Hedimbi says the ministry makes sure that no child labour takes place in any form when they carry out their inspections.

She says that from 2023, they have recorded four cases of child labour, with three being in agriculture and one as a domestic worker.

Hedimbi pointed out that the ministry does not tolerate child labour and takes swift action upon detection.

"If the ministry detects any form of child labour, what it does is open a case with the Namibian police to make sure that the person responsible is held accountable. And we also bring in, because there is a working committee that works to combat child labour in Namibia, we work in close collaboration with the ministry of education to make sure that these children are taken back to school. The Ministry of Gender also comes in to make sure that they are given shelter, and other stakeholders that are also involved come with their different mandates."

In terms of the Labour Act, child labour is a criminal offense, and persons who commit such an offense would be expected to pay a fine not exceeding N$20,000 or face four years of imprisonment.