FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WORK NAME : MUDE SOLOMON LESLEY

REG NUMBER : B1440781

PROGRAMME : SOCIAL WORK

COURSE : CHILD WELFARE COURSE CODE : SW 209

LECTURER : DR CHERENI QUESTION :

(a) Summarise the author’s main argument (300 word limit). [10]

In this article, the author writes explaining the relationship of work, learning and leisure in relation to the development of children. The author challenges the normative way of thinking that work negatively affect the development of the child. In his literature, he argues against the common romantic notions of childhood, he asserts that, romantic notions of childhood emerged by literature and poetry, rather than by evidence on child development in different contexts hence some of the notions are irrelevant in some settings. In the article, he presents evidence that besides leisure and learning, work can be beneficial to many children and he highlights that a childhood without work is not necessarily a beneficial ideal. He also presents facts that in practice children may successfully combine work, learning and leisure despite the common belief that work often interferes with children’s education. He posits that learning can be achieved through play or leisure thus leisure and learning correlating. The author is against the idea stopping work as a way of improving education. He argues that work, actually contributes in such a way that children learn some life skills, which are not available in our modern institutions. In his literature, the author appreciates the negativity of hazardous work on children and the need to protect these children from child labour. In the article, he however presents the dilemma of child protection from child labor with his interesting findings on how child labour has benefited some children. He presents one of his main argument that the interest of children are better served considering the condition and contexts of the work they do, rather than relying on universal laws which often work against the best interests of the child.

(b) Using Bourdillon’s work and other sources, discuss the dilemmas of protecting children against child labour in Zimbabwe. Use a minimum of 5 journal articles from academic databases such as Sage, Ebscohost, and Elsevier (Please avoid google databases) (1200 word limit). [70]

Child labour in Zimbabwe has been in practice since time immemorial. During the colonial era, thousands of children were both exploited in both economic and domestic spheres. However, after Zimbabwe attained its independence, the government of Zimbabwe has been actively in local, regional and global conventions aimed at protecting children against child labour. However, it should be noted that protecting children against work is not always favorable. Therefore, the purpose of this essay is to discuss some of the issues that review that protecting children is not always a favorable option. Some of the key points that make child protection against child labour not so favorable is the expression of good feelings from children about their work, how children acquire social and life skills from their work and how child labour contribute to the livelihoods of children and their families especially in response to poverty.

To understand the foregoing essay, there is need to define the key terms. The term child is a much-contested phenomenon around the globe due to the failure of coming with a universal age to define the one called a child. However, the children’s act [chapter 5:06] defines a child as a person under the age of sixteen years and includes an infant. Dilemma simply refers to a situation in you have to make a difficult decision or a state where you make a choice between equally unfavorable options. Different frameworks have been proposed to define Child labour. UNICEF (2008) defines child labour as work that exceeds a minimum number of hours, depending on the age of the child and on the type of work, such work is considered harmful to child and therefore should be eliminated. To begin with, the attitude or rather the good expression from children about their work is one dilemma that the lawmakers are facing when protecting children against child labour. Bourdillon (2000), describes how some children in Zimbabwe are earning and managing to attend school through their earnings from their child work which the government label as child labour. He further notes that in his findings, he interviewed one thirteen- year old girl who expressed how happy she was to be able to earn and educate herself rather than sitting at home and remain uneducated, Bourdillon (2011). In such cases the dilemma is that, the government is determined to protect all the children from hazardous work and this includes the working of children in the coffee and tea estates whereas the children whom they are trying to protect from work express good feelings of their work despite challenges they face. Therefore, in such cases, academic research is expressing how lawmakers should protect the children but in protecting the children the best interests of children should be considered. Additionally, cases whereby the family is being headed by a child poses another dilemma in protecting children against child labour. Bourdillon (2000), asserts how HIV and AIDS is prevalent in Zimbabwe, in his literature he highlights how some children are now orphaned and the only ones left to feed their siblings. In cases, whereby the parents are dead, some children are left to look after their siblings and this compels them to find work to be able to sustain their family despite their underage. Some of the children are involved in domestic work and others are in industrial work, Bourdillon, Myers and White (2009). In this case, the dilemma here is that the government wants to protect children from starting work at an early age as this might affect their physical and mental development but in doing so, they are depriving livelihood to children who are compelled to sustain themselves and their siblings. Therefore, the dilemma poses questions to the lawmakers whether they are still serving children’s interests or whether their own interests. Furthermore, shortage of funds or safety nets to fund children relieved from child work is another dilemma being faced in trying to protect children from child labour. Pankhurst, Alula, Bourdillon and Crivello, (2015), notes that protecting against child labour in developing countries is a tough problem and in spite all the government agencies may say unless the governments are able to support their citizens, it is impossible to abolish child labour. In their argument, they expressed how the government should provide a viable substitute if they are to protect these children from work. In this case, The government of Zimbabwe is failing to provide safety nets to these children yet it seeks to relieve them from their work thus creating a dilemma. Therefore, through academic research in child work and protection, various scholars are suggesting that the focus of the policy makers should not to abolish child work but how they can effectively regulate child labour than depriving them the rare opportunities of working.

Diverse cultural backgrounds also creates a dilemma when protecting children against child labour. Roggof (2003) observed that in some cultures young children are taught to handle implements that in other cultures would be kept away from children for their protection and this is also familiar in Zimbabwe. Boyden and Mann (2005) argue that the involvement of children in potentially hazardous work can be form of protection and provides for autonomy. When children are given appropriate support in dealing with risks and overcoming hazards, this can be protective in the long term by improving their resilience. Thus, in their engagement in work children are fulfilling their cultural value of attaining life skills which enables the child to deal with risks. In this case, the dilemma is that policy makers are probably wealthy and are from first world countries and they do not support the idea of children working with dangerous instruments. On the other hand, in the cultural context of the child, it is ideal for him or her to be involved in such work as it provides life skills which are not attainable in any learning institution. Therefore, in trying to protect children from such hazardous work you are also depriving them this kind of life skill thus creating a dilemma.

In conclusion, in the above essay I have elaborated on some of dilemmas in protecting children against child labour. If ever children are going to be free from exploitation in Zimbabwe, it is entirely in the hands of the government since statistics review that poverty and child labour correlates. Therefore, I suggest that, the first step in protecting children against child labour the government must first address the phenomenon of poverty, which is the main reason why child labour thrives. Secondly, research largely reviews clash of interests between policy makers regarding children’s rights and some of the children. I also suggest that in such cases, the lawmakers must allow children to participate in regards to laws protecting them. Lastly, if child protection is to thrive, it should be in the best interest of the child not based on universal laws because this essay has clearly shown how the “so called” protection is also a risk to child well being and development.