As a child, everyone has felt insignificant, like their place in this world doesn't matter. Every child has felt like no matter how hard they try, no matter how loud they scream, their voice is never heard. For most children this feeling is a passing thought, but for children in Sub Saharan Africa who are victims of child labour, this feeling is an everyday occurrence. These children don’t get a childhood, only a job to keep their county a float.     

Mimi, a 17 year old girl living in Côte d'Ivoire, Africa, started working as a tantie baggage when she was only ten years old. A tantie baggage is a child who carries heavy bags or baskets from the market to the customers home in exchange for money. “I helped customers carry their groceries with loads sometimes more than 50 kilograms for 100 francs (24 CA cents),” says Mimi. “I was working six days a week and on a lucky day, I could earn up to 1,500 francs (3.54 CA dollars.)”

Three dollars and fifty cents is the daily price for putting a child through physically straining and dangerous work.

Three dollars and fifty cents is the daily price for long term health conditions such chronic back pain, infertility, and even cancer. 

Three dollars and fifty cents is the daily price for a child growing up feeling like they are worth nothing more than that rate. 

Mimi is one of the 72.1 million children involved in child labour in Sub Saharan Africa according to the International Labour Organization (ILO). Child labour is described as any work or economic activity that deprives children of their childhood, interferes with their ability to attend school regularly, and is mentally, physically, or psychologically harmful. Sub Saharan Africa stands out as the worst region in the world for child labour due to the extreme poverty. "Economic growth has not been sufficient, nor inclusive enough, to relieve the pressure that too many families and communities feel and that makes them resort to child labor," says ILO. 

 According to the United Nations Development Program, almost a third of its population (31%) suffer from extreme multidimensional poverty - about 556 million people.

Sub Saharan Africa is not financially able to support the children, therefore, the children are forced to support Sub Saharan Africa

The way most children support their countries in this region is through agriculture. According to the International Labour Organization, in Sub Saharan Africa, agriculture accounts for 85 percent of all child labour: 61.4 million children. 

61.4 million children are forced to work in agriculture.

That is, all reported child labour in agriculture.

In developed countries such as the United States and Canada, child labour rates are substantially lower because the use of surveillance cameras and other technology forces businesses to follow child labour laws. The use of infrastructure in these countries also plays a huge role in keeping possible scenarios of child labour within the pubic eye, where it can be reported and shut down immediately.

However, Sub Saharan Africa does not have this luxury. 

Due to the economic state of Sub Saharan Africa, the ways in which labour is being controlled in other countries, does not apply to this region. Sub Saharan Africa is too poor to install surveillance cameras and create infrastructure. Therefore the true number of children suffering from child labour is unknown. According to an article written by the European Commission, it is estimated that 22,000 children are killed at work every year, however the article puts emphasis on the fact that the true number of children affected is unknown because much of child labour today is hidden. 

22,000 children are killed every year. 

Hundreds of thousands more could be seriously injured. 

Hundreds of thousands more could be dead

According to the World Bank, with 30-40 percent of Sub Saharan Africa’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) relying on agriculture, Sub Saharan Africa needs to keep children working in order to keep the countries afloat; therefore they keep it hidden.

 The state of Sub Saharan Africa allows the problem to remain unearthed. So what is currently being done to bring attention to this problem? 

The biggest organization referenced in research about child labour is the International Labour Organization. The International Labour Organization is an organization committed to promoting social justice and pursuing its mission to control the international child labour issue; it accomplishes this by hosting international conventions.

 The latest convention about child labour was the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention (No. 182) conduced in 1999. This convention consists of 16 articles outlining the issue of child labour around the world and ways to move toward change. For example, article 1 clearly states what kind of actions this convention is attacking including all forms of slavery, child prostitution, or any actions causing bodily and psychological harm to children. As for moving toward change, article 8 discusses the support countries should give each other in terms of social and economic development to move towards ending child labour.  The convention was largely successful due to the clear legal framework established and the international focus it brought to the issue, receiving 187 formal signatures of agreement from countries by 2020.      

Other organizations such as the United Nations (African Renewal) and Save the Children work towards alleviating the issue. Africa Renewal is a United Nations digital magazine that covers Africa's social, political, and economic developments. This magazine focuses on specific challenges countries in Africa face involving sustainable development goals, agriculture, youth voices, women's rights, technology, and peace and security. Save the Children is a global organization that actively takes action against child labour. This organization ensures that children’s voices are heard and needs are met. Save the Children delivers lasting results for millions of children, including those difficult to reach. 

These three organizations are strong and have done a great job at spreading the word of child labour and controling the issue in certain countries in Africa and around the world. However, these organizations have simply put a bandage over the gaping wound. These organizations advocate and inspire small changes but there simply aren't consequences to hold countries to their word to create lasting change. For example, article 8 of the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention (No.182) states that countries must support other countries in this fight against child labour, however Sub Saharan Africa is not receiving the financial support this article states it should. 

And there is no consequence for other countries ignoring Sub Saharan Africa's need for support. 

The reality is, Sub Saharan Africa can’t relieve its economic problems on its own; the region is buried so deep under the problem that it needs support from other countries to get out. We can’t sit back and do nothing.   

If we sit back and do nothing, nothing will change

If we sit back and do nothing, children will continue to feel worthless, nothing more than three dollars and fifty cents 

We can’t sit back and do nothing when there are steps we can take to permanently end child labour in Sub Saharan Africa. 

We must act. Now.

Step one: Educate yourself 

Educating yourself on the topic is the first step to understanding how serious the issue is. Statistics can be laid out for you, but until you do personal research and read stories of victims, you won’t fully understand. Start with a simple article or website that outlines the seriousness of the issue and go from there.

Step two: Educate others 

The more people who are made aware the better. Once you have a solid understanding of the issue at hand simply talk to people about it. Talk to your family, friends, neighbours, teachers, whoever. A simple conversation can go a long way. Sometimes a conversation is all it takes but sometimes people need a little more convincing. Don’t mention the issue once and never discuss it again. Show people how much the topic means to you. If you are passionate about something, people are much more likely to take you seriously and invest in making a change too. 

Step three: Donate 

Donating to organizations such as Save the Children whose goal is to take action against child labour is a great next step. Every donation counts no matter how small and if you have already inspired other people, small donations from a group of people can make a huge difference. With this issue especially, donating is so important. Sub Saharan Africa needs economic support to make long lasting changes to end child labour. If enough people donate, the quality of life for children in Sub Saharan Africa could be improved substantially. 

Step four: Take action 

As much as individual effort is very important, this issue requires the government getting involved. With that being said, individuals can get the government's attention. If you start advocating for change in a public setting, the results could be life changing. Begin your own fundraisers, write your own articles, and begin taking action against child labour in Sub Saharan Africa. Talking about the issue and spreading awareness is all well and good but if no action comes out of it? What’s the point? We can begin with giving the cause a voice, but that voice must evolve into action. 

Finally: Sign this Petition 

By signing this petition you are acknowledging that change needs to be made. You are acknowledging that the solutions enforced today to end child labour in Sub Saharan Africa are not enough. It is time to treat the infected wound of child labour properly, by supporting Sub Saharan Africa, so Sub Saharan Africa can support its children.

Sub Saharan Africa is the worst region for child labour. If we can end child labour in Sub Saharan Africa, then we can end it everywhere. Stand up and join this fight. Let's give children back their childhood.