Abstract
This article is based on a study that sought to establish the dynamics that limit actions to combat child labour in small-scale gold mining communities in Tanzania. A qualitative research approach was used to gain a nuanced understanding of the contextual dynamics that limit actions to combat child labour. Other relevant data were sourced from grey literature. Thematic analysis of the collected qualitative data established that the factors limiting actions to combat child labour in small-scale gold mining communities emanate from both household settings and the community at large. The study results revealed several factors that constrain efforts to combat child labour in small-scale gold mining communities. The factors include: wrong perception of communities towards child labour; inadequate parental care; child-headed households valuing small-scale gold mining activities as the major source of income; valuing children’s contribution to the economic well-being of households; the tendency of children adopting their parents’ mining occupation; undervaluing of children’s formal education; and high expectations of becoming rich through mining activities. To curtail child labour in small-scale gold mining communities, there needs to be efforts to address this problem right from the top tier of the government governance to the community level. Policy and legal frameworks against child labour should be enforced, small-scale gold miners should be given specialised training on modern gold mining techniques that are not labour-intensive, and the competent authorities should raise awareness at the community level on the importance and benefits of schooling and children’s education. Also, further research should be carried to establish new strategies for monitoring and controlling child labour in small-scale gold mining communities by taking cognizance of the prevailing socio-economic factors that undermine the current efforts to curtail child labour in the sector.
Recommended Citation
Niboye, Elliott P.
(2024)
"The Socio-economic Dynamics Limiting Actions to Combat Child Labour in Tanzania: The Case of Small-Scale Gold Mining Communities in Tabora Region,"
Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences: Vol. 13:
No.
1, Article 10.
DOI: 10.56279.13.1.2
Available at:
https://commons.udsm.ac.tz/jhss/vol13/iss1/10