Peer-reviewed article
Legal and Institutional Bases of Child Labour in Zambia
Royd Malisase ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study examined the legal and institutional reasons why child labour persists in Zambia, rather than focusing on economic causes. Researchers interviewed government officials and reviewed policy documents to understand the problem. The study found that Zambia's laws lack a clear definition of a child, do not protect children from economic exploitation by family members, and lack a dedicated Child Labour Act to enforce protections. Key child protection institutions have no offices at local levels, making it difficult to coordinate efforts, and multiple ministries involved in child protection create confusion about responsibilities.
Key points
- Zambian laws do not agree on a legal definition of a child
- Laws do not protect children against economic exploitation by family members
- The National Child Policy lacks backing from a dedicated Child Labour Act
- Key institutions lack structures at provincial, district and community levels
- Multiple participating ministries cause functional overlaps and confusion in coordination
Limitations
The study used a small sample of only four government officials and did not include perspectives from affected children, families, or community members. The qualitative design cannot quantify the extent of child labour or measure the impact of specific legal and institutional gaps on actual child outcomes.
Abstract
While most research on child labour focus on socio-economic cause of child labour, this study examined legal and institutional bases of child labour in Zambia. This followed recognition of the prevalence of the vice and the adverse effects it had on children. Using a qualitative design, the study interviewed four government officials from the Ministry of Gender and Child Development and Ministry of Labour and Social Securities as well as reviewed relevant literature. Data was analysed using Thematic and Document Analysis. The study found that laws neither agreed on legal definition of a child nor protected children against being economically exploited by family members. Due to the National Child Policy not being backed by a Child Labour Act, implementation of child protection programs was challenging. Key institutions lacked structures at provincial, district and community levels, making coordination of child protection from the grassroots difficult. Influx of participating ministries also led to functional overlaps and confusions. The legal and institutional framework was therefore unable to eliminate child labour.