Country profile UGA
Context
Context
| Year | Age group | Proportion | Gender | Indicator | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 5-17 | 14.7 | Male | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2017 | 5-17 | 11.8 | Female | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2017 | 5-17 | 13.2 | Male & Female | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2017 | 5-17 | 17.2 | Male | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity and household chores, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2017 | 5-17 | 19 | Female | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity and household chores, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2017 | 5-17 | 18.1 | Male & Female | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity and household chores, by sex and age (%) | Source |
National Legal Framework
National Legal Framework
| Provision | Legislation date | Convention | Legislation info | sources | Value | sort_order | Provision description | Legislation description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Is the use, procuring or offering of children for illicit activities, in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs, prohibited? | 2003-10-23 | C182 | Prevention of Trafficking In Persons Act - Section 5(d) | [{"link_name":"Prevention of Trafficking In Persons Act","source_link":"https://ulii.org/akn/ug/act/2009/7/eng@2009-10-23#page-16"}] | Yes | 11 | C182 prohibits the use, procuring or offering of children for illicit activities in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs. | Section 5(d) prohibits the use of a child in the commission of a crime. |
| Is the use, procuring or offering of a child for the purpose of prostitution and for production of pornography prohibited? | 2016-06-02 | C182 | The Children (Amendment) Act - Section 8A | [{"link_name":"The Children (Amendment) Act","source_link":"https://mglsd.go.ug/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/The-Children-Amendment-Act-2016.pdf"}] | Yes | 10 | C182 prohibits the use of a child under the age of 18 for prostitution, regardless of the child's consent. The use, procuring or offering of any person under the age of 18 for commercial sexual exploitation constitutes a worst form of child labour, even if prostitution is a legalised. In regard to the prohibition of child pornography, States need to make sure that national legislation addresses the involvement of a child in the production of pornographic materials, including non-recorded performances. | According to section 8A (1) A person shall not engage a child in any work or trade that exposes the child to activities of sexual nature whether paid for or not (2) For avoidance of doubt, it shall be unlawful for any person to use— (a) inducement or coercion in the encouragement of a child to engage in any sexual activity; (b) children in prostitution or other unlawful sexual practices; and (c) children in pornographic performances or materials. A person who contravenes this section commits an offence and is liable, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding one hundred currency points or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding five years. |
| Is forced or compulsory recruitment of children under 18 for use in armed conflict prohibited? | 2009-10-23 | C182 | Prevention of Trafficking In Persons Act - Section 5 | [{"link_name":"Prevention of Trafficking In Persons Act","source_link":"https://ulii.org/akn/ug/act/2009/7/eng@2009-10-23#page-16"}] | Yes | 9 | C182 defines forced or compulsory recruitment of children under 18 for use in armed conflict as a worst form of child labour. Nevertheless, C182 only prohibits the forced or compulsory recruitment of children under 18, and does not cover the voluntary recruitment of children under 18. | The country has no conscription. Section 5 of the Prevention of Trafficking In Persons Act prohibits the use of a child in any armed conflict. |
| Is the sale and trafficking of children for sexual and labour exploitation prohibited? | 2016-06-02 | C182 | The Children (Amendment) Act - Section 8 | [{"link_name":"The Children (Amendment) Act","source_link":"https://mglsd.go.ug/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/The-Children-Amendment-Act-2016.pdf"}] | Yes | 8 | C182 defines all forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery, such as the sale and trafficking of children, debt bondage and serfdom and forced or compulsory labour as worst forms of child labour. | According to section 8 (1) A person shall not employ or engage a child in any activity that may be harmful or hazardous to his or her health, or his or her physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development. (2) Subject to subsection (1), the minimum age of employment of a child shall be 16 years. (3) For the purpose of this section, “harmful or hazardous employment” includes work which exposes a child to physical or psychological torture, sexual abuse, work underground, work at dangerous heights or in confined spaces, work with dangerous machinery, equipment and tools, or manual handling or transportation of heavy loads, work with chemicals and dangerous substances, work under extreme temperatures, high levels of noise, or working for longer hours; or any other form of child labour which includes slavery, trafficking in persons, debt bondage and other forms of forced labour, forced recruitment for use in armed conflict, prostitution, pornography and illicit activities. |
| List of hazardous activities prohibited for children | 2012-04-20 | C138 & C182 | The Employment of Children Regulations - First schedule | [{"link_name":"The Employment of Children Regulations","source_link":"https://archive.gazettes.africa/archive/ug/2012/ug-government-gazette-dated-2012-04-20-no-21.pdf"}] | Yes | 7 | C138 and C182 require the national determination of a list of hazardous work prohibited for children under 18 years of age. The competent authorities should consult with workers' and employers' organizations to determine what types of employment or work are considered to be hazardous. Such a list shall be periodically examined and revised as necessary. | The first schedule of this act provides the List of hazardous occupations and activities not permitted for employment of children. This list includes activities that may deny children the right to education by preventing their attendance at school and that are considered harmful. |
| Minimum age for hazardous work | 2016-06-02 | C138 & C182 | The Children (Amendment) Act - Sections 8, 9 | [{"link_name":"The Children (Amendment) Act","source_link":"https://commons.laws.africa/akn/ug/act/statute/1996/6/[email protected]"}] | N/A | 6 | C138 and C182 set 18 as the minimum age for hazardous work, which is defined as work that, due to its nature or the circumstances in which it is carried out, is likely to jeopardize children’s health, safety or morals. C138 and C182 allow countries to permit hazardous work exceptionally as from 16, provided that the health, safety and morals of the young persons concerned are fully protected and that they have received adequate specific instruction or training. | Section 8 of the Employment of Children Regulations provides that a child aged between 12 and 17 years engaged in educational training and apprenticeship programmes which are on the list of hazardous work shall first be approved by a commissioner before they can take part in such work. Section 9 provides that an employer who wishes to employ a child in an apprenticeship shall apply to the commissioner, and that the commissioner shall issue such permits restricting the age, number of hours of work and conditions in which work in this apprenticeship is allowed. |
| Minimum age for admission to apprenticeship | 2012-04-20 | C138 | The Employment of Children Regulations - Section 8 | [{"link_name":"The Employment of Children Regulations","source_link":"https://archive.gazettes.africa/archive/ug/2012/ug-government-gazette-dated-2012-04-20-no-21.pdf"}] | 12 | 5 | C138 does not apply to work done in school for general, vocational or technical education or in training institutions or work done by children at least 14 years of age in undertakings, where such work is carried out in accordance with conditions prescribed by the competent authority. Such work must be an integral part of: (i) a course of education or training for which a school or training institution is primarily responsible; (ii) a programme of training mainly or entirely in an undertaking, which programme has been approved by the competent authority; or (iii) a programme of guidance or orientation designed to facilitate the choice of an occupation or of a line of training. | Section 8 provides that a child from the age of twelve to seventeen years engaged in educational training and apprenticeship programmes which are on the list of hazardous work shall first be approved by a Commissioner before they can take part in such work. Section 9 states that permits for apprenticeship programmes and artistic performances. An employer who wishes to engage a child in an apprenticeship or artistic performance shall apply to the Commissioner in the form prescribed in the Second Schedule. The Labour Commissioner shall issue permits restricting the age, number of hours of work and conditions in which work in apprenticeship and artistic performances is allowed as prescribed in the Third Schedule. |
| Is the minimum age for admission to work not less than the age for completion of compulsory schooling? | No information | C138 | No information | [{"link_name":"No information","source_link":"No information"}] | No information | 4 | C138 requires that the minimum age for admission to work shall not be less than the age of completion of compulsory schooling and, in any case, shall not be less than 15 years. | No information |
| Light work - Determination of types and conditions of activities | 2012-04-20 | C138 | The Employment of Children Regulations - Section 4 | [{"link_name":"The Employment of Children Regulations","source_link":"https://archive.gazettes.africa/archive/ug/2012/ug-government-gazette-dated-2012-04-20-no-21.pdf"}] | Yes | 3 | If the country chooses to allow light work, States must determine what activities are considered light work, and the hours and the circumstances under which they may be carried out. | Section 4 provides the activities that may be considered to be light include—(a) sewing; (b) attending to and serving guests; (c) sweeping, cleaning the floor and organising the house; (d) cleaning and polishing shoes; (e) washing clothes; (f) cleaning places where animals are kept; (g) making purchases in the market or shops; (h looking for firewood; (i) cleaning the toilet and bathroom; (j) helping out in the garden; and (k) preparing family meals. |
| Minimum age for light work | 2012-04-20 | C138 | The Employment of Children Regulations - Section 3 | [{"link_name":"The Employment of Children Regulations","source_link":"https://archive.gazettes.africa/archive/ug/2012/ug-government-gazette-dated-2012-04-20-no-21.pdf"}] | 14 | 2 | C138 defines light work as work that does not interfere with children’s schooling, or their ability to benefit from it, and that is not hazardous. C138 allows countries to permit light work for children younger than the general minimum age. For countries that set the minimum age at 15, this means children aged 13-14, and for those that set it at 14, children aged 12-13 may engage in light work. | According to section 3 a child under the age of fourteen years shall not be employed in any business undertaking or workplace, except— for light work carried out under the supervision of an adult and where the work does not exceed fourteen hours per week. |
| Minimum age for admission to work | 2016-06-02 | C138 | The Children (Amendment) Act - Section 8 (2) | [{"link_name":"The Children (Amendment) Act","source_link":"https://commons.laws.africa/akn/ug/act/statute/1996/6/[email protected]"}] | 16 | 1 | C138 establishes 15 as the minimum age for work in general. Developing countries have the option of setting a minimum age of 14 as a transitional measure as they strengthen their education systems and economies. | According to section 8 (2) the minimum age of employment of a child shall be 16 years. |
International Legal Framework
International Legal Framework
| Ratification status | Convention | Convention description | Date of ratification | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| in-force | C138 | Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) | 25-MAR-2003 | Source |
| in-force | C182 | Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) | 21-JUN-2001 | Source |
Policies and Plans
Policies and Plans
| Description | sources | Period | Policy name | Implementing agency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The policy was adopted in fulfilment of the Government of Uganda’s constitutional mandate to safeguard the welfare of children. It reflects the Government’s recognition of the vital importance of upholding the four cardinal rights of every child: survival, development, protection and participation. Its specific objectives notably include promoting behaviour change to eliminate harmful practices, including child labour, and prioritising education and child development. | [{"link_name":"National Child Policy","source_link":"https://www.unicef.org/uganda/media/8166/file/Final-Uganda-National%20Child%20Policy-October-2020-lores.pdf"}] | 2020 | National Child Policy | National Child Well-being Steering Committee |
| This NAP aims to achieve the following strategic objectives; 1.To strengthen institutional capacity to effectively respond to human trafficking incidents; 2. To improve the legal and policy framework geared towards combating trafficking in persons; 3.To improve access to protection and assistance for victims of trafficking in persons; 4.To strengthen prevention mechanisms towards combating trafficking in persons; 5.To strengthen investigation, prosecution and adjudication of human trafficking cases; 6.To build strong and effective partnerships at national regional and international levels geared towards combating trafficking in persons. | [{"link_name":"The national Action Plan for the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons","source_link":"https://www.mia.go.ug/sites/default/files/2022-06/National%20Action%20Plan.pdf"}] | 2019-2024 | The national Action Plan for the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons | National Task Force Committee for prevention of trafficking in persons |
| Uganda launched its second National Action Plan which integrate 2020/2021 2024/2025 National Steering Committee on Elimination of Child Labour NAP II lessons from the plan with its key objectives including strengthening legal, policy and institutional frameworks for child labour elimination, enhancing partnerships and multistakeholder coordination, increasing access to social protection education, skills among others. | [{"link_name":"NAP II","source_link":"https://www.ilo.org/resource/article/ugandas-national-plan-action-child-labour-will-strengthen-countrys"}] | 2020/2021 - 2024/2025 | The National Action Plan for the Elimination of Child labour, II (NAP II) | National Steering Committee on Elimination of Child Labour |