Nearly two-thirds of South Sudanese children trapped in worst forms of labour: Report

Juba [South Sudan], October 25 : Nearly two-thirds of children in South Sudan are engaged in the worst forms of child labour, with rates reaching up to 90 per cent in the hardest-hit areas, according to a government study released with the charity Save the Children, Al Jazeera reported.

The National Child Labour Study, published on Friday, surveyed over 418 households across seven states and found that 64 per cent of children aged between five and 17 are involved in forced labour, sexual exploitation, theft, and conflict. The findings highlight a crisis "far more complex than poverty alone", intensified by flooding, disease, and ongoing conflict that have displaced families and left millions on the brink of hunger.

In Kapoeta South, near the border with Uganda, nine out of 10 children work in gold mining, pastoralism, and farming instead of attending school, the report said. The Yambio region in the southwest recorded similarly dire rates, where local conflict and child marriage push children into labour, Al Jazeera added.

Children often begin with simple work before being drawn into more dangerous and exploitative jobs, with about 10 per cent reporting involvement with armed groups, particularly in Akobo, Bentiu, and Kapoeta South counties. The types of exploitation vary by gender, with boys more likely to work in hazardous industries or join armed groups, while girls disproportionately face forced marriage, household servitude, and sexual abuse.

Research revealed that knowledge of the law does not prevent child exploitation. Surveys showed that 70 per cent of children in dangerous or illegal work lived in homes with adults familiar with legal protections, while two-thirds of children were unaware that help existed.

"When nearly two-thirds of a country's children are working - and in some areas, almost every child - it signals a crisis that goes beyond poverty," said Chris Nyamandi, Save the Children's South Sudan country director.

South Sudan's child labour prevalence significantly exceeds regional patterns. While East Africa has the continent's worst record at 30 percent, according to ILO-UNICEF data, South Sudan's 64 percent is more than double that figure. "Education remains the strongest protective factor," Nyamandi said, noting that children attending school are far less likely to be exploited, Al Jazeera reported.

At the report's launch in Juba, the government acknowledged the crisis. Deng Tong, undersecretary at the Ministry of Labour, said officials would use the evidence as a "critical foundation for action".

The report comes amid severe flooding affecting nearly one million people across South Sudan, with 335,000 displaced and over 140 health facilities damaged or submerged. The country is also battling a malaria outbreak, with more than 104,000 cases reported in the past week, while 7.7 million people face acute hunger.

South Sudan is further destabilised by fears of renewed civil war. A fragile 2018 peace deal between President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar appears increasingly strained, with armed clashes now occurring on a scale not seen since 2017, Al Jazeera reported. Machar was arrested in March and charged in September with treason, murder, and crimes against humanity, charges he has rejected.

Amid escalating violence, about 300,000 people have fled South Sudan this year.

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