Holidays are a nightmare for 15-year-old Peter Phiri (not real name) from Thondwe in Zomba District.
During holidays, the Form One student helps his father mine alluvial gold along Thondwe River, a situation he detests.
But he has no option, but to obey his father.
After all, he is his father’s only child and it is either he helps him, or he will not get pocket money when schools open.
In an interview last week, Peter said helping his father mine the alluvial gold takes a toll on him physically and mentally as he anticipates having ample rest when schools close.
When school is in progress, he travels about 10 kilometres daily to attend classes, a situation that exhausts him.
In the evening, he hardly rests as he has to help his mother with household chores.
Sometimes he helps her sell fritters at the market during weekends.
“Ever since my father started mining about seven months ago, I have never rested during holidays,” he said.
Our interview was, however, interrupted midway when Peter’s hostile father appeared on the scene and rebuked him for relaxing on the job.
Peter’s situation constitutes child labour which Malawi’s 2020-2025 National Action Plan on Child Labour defines as any activity that employs a child below the age of 14 or that engages a child aged between 13 and 17.
The definition further states that the activity prevents a child from attending and concentrating on education, or negatively impacts on the health, social, cultural, psychological, moral, religious and related dimensions of the child’s upbringing.
Other children we talked to were between 14 and 17.
Another minor said he opts to visit relatives during holidays to avoid working at the site.
He said: “I know for sure I will have to help my father here, which I do not like.”
This minor, who is also in Form One, claimed that his father threatens to deny him food if he does not help in the gold mining quest.
A Standard Five dropout said he was compelled because school was not the best thing for him.
“My parents even supported the idea,” he said.
Sadly, local leaders and other community members are helpless.
Area Development Committee chairperson Samson Mataya said it is hard to convince parents and guardians to stop children from the illegal activities, considering associated hazards.
Ministry of Labour is mandated to inspect and investigate labour-related complaints, including child labour and through its Child Labour Unit, it is empowered to monitor and implement child labour law compliance through monitoring visits.
Minister of Labour Peter Dimba referred us to Secretary for Labour Chikondano Mussa who was yet to respond to our questionnaire as we went to press at 5pm yesterday.
Centre for Human Rights Education Advice and Assistance executive director Victor Mhango said: “No child should be forced to trade their health, safety and education for survival. This is not only a clear violation of national child protection laws, but international human rights standards.”
A 2023 Child Labour and Forced Labour report for Malawi published on United States’ Ministry of Labour website says despite Malawi ratifying all key international conventions concerning child labour, certain laws still lag behind.
It reads: “Malawi’s laws do not meet international standards on minimum age for work, prohibition of using children in illicit activities and prohibition of military recruitment of children by non-State armed groups.”
The report says Malawi’s laws do not have criminal provisions for the use of children in illicit activities.
