Liberian authorities disclosed on Monday, 12th June 2023, that an alarming 366,584 children across Liberia are enduring life in dehumanising conditions on the streets, largely due to broken homes and neglect.
Maminah Gorlon Carr-Gay, the Assistant Gender Minister for Children and Social Protection, unveiled the unsettling statistics during the observance of World Day Against Child Labour at the Ministerial Complex in Congo Town. She highlighted that a recent survey by the Ministry and its partners has brought this grave issue into the spotlight.
The data illustrates that Montserrado County bears the brunt, with an astounding 153,982 street children, whereas Rivercess County has the lowest figure at 100.
Carr-Gay underscored that an overwhelming 78.45% of Liberian children aged 5-14 are engaged in agriculture. Additionally, 17.4% are toiling in the services sector and 4.2% in industrial zones. She lamented that child labour continues to be a monumental challenge that the Liberian government is grappling with, as countless children forsake education to work for their family’s survival.
In an encouraging development, Carr-Gay did affirm that Liberia has achieved moderate progress in the relentless pursuit to eradicate the most severe forms of child labour.
Corroborating this, Liberia’s Ministry of Labour’s Counsellor, Charles Gibson, elucidated the government’s efforts in tackling child labour. He revealed that the Labour Ministry is liaising with the Senate and the House Committee on Labour to render child labour illegal, akin to human trafficking.
Moreover, the Labour Ministry has marshalled two specialised teams dedicated to patrolling nightclubs and entertainment centres to clamp down on child exploitation and involvement in disreputable activities.
Gibson reiterated the government’s unwavering commitment to abolish child labour and to ensure every child relishes their childhood, receives education, and cultivates into conscientious leaders for the future.
One of the significant strides taken by the government, along with its collaborators, is the establishment of three safe homes in Liberia. Gibson revealed that one of these homes will serve as a refuge for children found vending on the streets.
Furthermore, Gibson disclosed that nearly 286 communities within Montserrado County have been pinpointed for awareness campaigns and education regarding child labour.
He stressed the government’s resolution that every child is indispensable, and hence, the Labour Ministry has inaugurated three safe homes. One of these homes will shelter children who are either trafficked or discovered labouring in perilous conditions.
The Labour Ministry is also poised to unleash an extensive inspection campaign targeting all entertainment and business establishments countrywide to identify and rescue children trapped in labour and illegal activities such as smoking and consuming alcohol.
The World Day against Child Labour was commemorated with the theme “Rescue Children From Street Selling and Vulnerability”. The event was attended by students, as well as representatives from both local and international partners.
This distressing revelation showcases the dire state of Liberia’s youth, who are seemingly veering towards delinquency due to fractured families and abandonment. The government is urgently tasked with arresting this downward spiral and preventing thousands of youths from being ensnared by the drug scourge.
