An Assessment of World Vision Interventions against Child Labour: A Case Study of Children in Busia Town Council

Abstract

DRICIRU JESCA (2007-M093-10091) An Assessment of World Vision Interventions against Child Labour: A Case Study of Children in Busia Town Council In and around the world over, we have always heard of children caught up in various forms of child labour consciously or unconsciously, and this has had negative effects on their education, health, psychological well-being and general development. The assessment of the interventions of World Vision against child labour; a case study of Busia Town Council, was aimed at scrutinising the efforts invested in the fight against the vice of child exploitation as clearly manifested in Busia Town Council and whose cause would not be referred to a single factor but a multiplicity of factors. The crucial question of, what are actual strategies being employed by World Vision in this fight?, was critically analysed, for purposes of comparing the “distance” so far covered in as far as fighting child labour is concerned. Among the broad interventions carried out by World Vision in its effort to end child labour, therefore, massive investment in household livelihood support structures has to be given top priority as this would avail necessities directly to the would be or former child labourers and hence betterment of life would in this case act as a big deterrent from exploitative engagements. World Vision‟s failure, therefore, to directly invest in poverty alleviation projects, and emphasising on sensitisation about the dangers of child labour without giving viable alternatives does not completely eliminate the problem. World Vision has invested a lot in disseminating laws regarding child exploitation and child labour for purposes of creating awareness. However, this has had little impact in as far as the elimination of the vice is concerned because the institution lacks a strong legal base to prosecute the offenders which action would act as a deterrent measure to discourage others. It is imperative for World Vision to diversify the responsibility for consciousness raising and policy advocacy efforts in the area of child labour. World Vision Busia needs to have a clear joint advocacy strategy together with the Town council, other civil society organisations, the probation and social welfare office, to guide the advocacy interventions. This is because Busia Town council needs strict by-laws in place if the fight against child labour is going to register total success in this complex border town. Keywords: Child labour, World vision, Busia district