Child Labor in Urban Agriculture: The Case of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Malongo R.S. Mlozi
The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

Citation: Mlozi, Malongo R.S. (1995). "Child Labor in Urban Agriculture: The Case of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania." Children's Environments 12 (2): 24-44. Retrieved [date] from http://www.colorado.edu/journals/cye/

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Abstract

Urban agriculture in Dar es Salaam was found to use child labor of children with parents of both higher and lower socioeconomic status (SES). Child labor in urban agriculture was due to four interrelated factors: the failure to adequately enforce government regulations; economic austerity; parental expectations for economic contribution; and the children's obligations to their families. In some cases there was child labor exploitation. Efforts should be initiated by the government to Stop the exploitation of child labor by ratifying the international minimum working age of 14, and by enforcing laws and regulations governing children's rights. Parents of lower SES should be educated to not expect an economic contribution from their children's labor, and children should also be educated about their rights. Children of lower SES parents should be made aware that their parents' obligations should not be fulfilled at the expense of their future well-being.

Keywords: urban agriculture, child labor, economic austerity, parents' expectations, children's obligations