‘Zambia to overhaul child labor law as figures surge’ 22 February 2022

The Zambian government said Monday that it would review the current child labor law following a continued rise in the number of children engaged in various forms of child labor. Brenda Tambatamba, the minister of Labor and Social Security, said the government will be reviewing the child labor law and policy as part of the efforts to reform the employment and labor market.

A national steering committee to provide oversight on child labor programs has since been established, she added, according to a statement. According to the official, Zambia currently has 2.7 million children engaged in unpaid work activities, out of which 430,000 are in child labor.

The minister also said 58.1 percent of the country’s children live in rural areas while the remaining 41.9 percent live in urban areas. Zambia has ratified and domesticated a number of international standards and conventions as part of efforts to tackle the problem of child labor.