Human Development Sector Africa Region The World Bank

Human development is crucial to confronting the many economic and social ills facing Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). And within the context of human development, addressing the thorny issue of child labor is vital to the development of many of Africa’s youngest citizens, who will determine the future of SSA. With more than a third of Africa’s children not attending school, and most of them working, the child labor issue will be central in the fight against poverty and destitution. This paper looks at the question of child labor in its totality—cultural, social, and economic. In order to design effective interventions, the development community—including the Bank—must understand the complex problems linked to child labor and school attendance in many African countries. The paper argues for a comprehensive strategy rather than targeted approaches, and details some innovative instruments to address child labor. The World Bank is committed to supporting measures that reduce harmful effects of child labor, and to exploring fully the human capital potential in Africa. The authors hope that this paper will encourage future discussions on policies and strategies to address Africa’s development challenges—especially human capital issues—in an effort to reduce poverty and spur economic growth