The Western Bahr el Ghazal State Ministry of Gender and Child has filed a legal case against three businesswomen in Wau over the alleged use of child labour.
Ann Daniel Ali, the Director General at the State Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, told Radio Tamazuj that they opened a case against businesswomen who use child labour so that they continue to make profits.
“We have opened a case against them, and they will be taken to court such that it can be an example to those who we have not yet been identified,” Ann said.
“I want to tell the citizens that if you find a young girl carrying a tray, take her to the nearest police station so that we find her there so that we, as the ministry, can follow up with the person who sent her on the street because we have a law,” she added.
Ann says that minor girls face a lot of sexual violence and harassment while working in the market. He urges adults not to use child labour to earn money.
For his part, Major Lula Karlo, a police investigator at Gender Department, confirmed the arrest of three women over the alleged use of child labour.
Lula pointed out that three women will be taken to court after the Christmas holidays.
Article 25 of the Child Act 2008 says every child has the right to be protected from exposure to economic exploitation and child labour, which includes portage of heavy loads and work in places such as bars, hotels and places of entertainment, where a person may be exposed to immoral behaviour.
Article 22 of the Act also says the government shall take concrete measures to protect children from all forms of abuse and to ensure that any child who becomes the victim of abuse shall be accorded appropriate treatment and rehabilitation.
It further says whoever commits such an offence shall, on conviction, be sentenced to imprisonment for a term not exceeding fourteen years.