By Mulengera Reporters
Uganda’s export earnings face potential risks as international scrutiny over child labour intensifies, Parliament has been warned.
Agnes Kunihira, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Gender, Labour, and Social Development, sounded the alarm last week while addressing the Budget Committee. She called for an urgent allocation of UGX 6.8 billion to fund programs aimed at reducing child labour under the Ministry of Gender.
“The recent report from the USA highlights critical institutional and legal enforcement gaps, including the absence of centralized supervisory authority. If these issues are not addressed, Uganda’s products could be barred from international markets,” Kunihira cautioned. She urged immediate government action to prevent the country’s export-dependent economy from being jeopardized.
Kunihira revealed that Uganda’s child labour problem has become a significant international concern. During the 2024 International Labour Organization (ILO) Conference, Uganda faced pressure to address its child labour practices. Despite government commitments to eliminate child labour, progress remains limited.
A report by the United States identified 13 Ugandan goods produced with child labour, including bricks, charcoal, coffee, fish, gold, rice, sand, stones, sugarcane, tea, tobacco, and vanilla.
UNICEF Uganda’s Policy Note on Overcoming Challenges in Education (2024) highlights the severity of the crisis. The report estimates that 6.2 million children aged 5–17 (39.5%) are engaged in child labour, excluding household chores. Additionally, one in four children aged 6–18 are out of school, either working to support their families or remaining at home.
While no country has yet imposed sanctions on Uganda’s exports over child labour, the looming threat poses significant risks. The Ministry of Finance’s latest economic data reveals that export earnings dropped in November 2024 by 9.7% to USD 672.62 million (UGX 2.45 trillion), down from USD 744.86 million (UGX 2.71 trillion) in October 2024.
Coffee exports, a major contributor to Uganda’s economy, suffered a steep decline. Coffee export earnings fell by 21.7% to USD 108.91 million (UGX 396.98 billion) in November 2024, compared to USD 139.05 million (UGX 506.84 billion) in October 2024. The decline was attributed to reduced export volumes and falling international coffee prices, alongside the biannual off-year cycle of production.
The Ministry of Finance report also outlined Uganda’s primary export markets. The Middle East accounted for 35.4% of total exports in November 2024, with the United Arab Emirates taking 97.6% of the region’s share. Other major markets included the East African Community (30.2%), Asia (13.7%), and the European Union (13.0%). Within the EAC, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, and South Sudan were the leading destinations, accounting for 33.6%, 24.0%, and 21.4% of Uganda’s regional exports, respectively.
As Uganda’s export-driven economy faces mounting challenges, stakeholders are urging the government to act swiftly. Addressing child labour is not just a moral imperative but a critical step to safeguard the nation’s economic future. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
