Children in Uganda are subjected to the worst forms of child labor, including in commercial sexual exploitation, sometimes as a result of human trafficking. Children also perform dangerous tasks in gold mining.

† Determined by national law or regulation as hazardous and, as such, relevant to Article 3(d) of ILO C. 182.
‡ Child labor understood as the worst forms of child labor per se under Article 3(a)–(c) of ILO C. 182.

A UN Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) report states that the Government of Uganda provided logistical support and transportation to the March 23 Movement (M23), a non-state armed group which forcibly recruited and used child soldiers in the conflict in the eastern DRC. However, the Government of Uganda authorities publicly denied any support to M23.

Children at Higher Risk

Civil society organizations and government entities report that children from rural areas, especially the Karamoja region, one of the most remote regions in Uganda, are vulnerable to human trafficking and forced into begging, street vending, domestic work, and commercial sexual exploitation. NGOs and media reports have indicated that children from Karamoja are also sold in open-air markets or through intermediaries and forced into cattle herding. The Ugandan People's Defense Force noted that cattle rustlers in the Karamoja region recruit children, especially boys, for violent cattle raids. An unspecified number of these children have been killed during military operations against the cattle rustlers, and according to the Parliament's Committee on Gender, Labor, and Social Development, cattle raids also increase children's vulnerability to human trafficking. Moreover, reports indicate that refugee children throughout the country were at an increased risk of engaging in child labor or being subjected to the worst forms of child labor. An assessment revealed that when the monthly stipend amount for refugees was decreased in 2023, there was an increase in child labor cases from 56 in May and June to 129 cases in July and August as children were dropping out of school in order to supplement their households' basic needs.

Barriers to Education Access

Research found isolated reports of LGBTQI+ children being expelled or suspended from school. Reports also indicate that some LGBTQI+ children were forced to flee their households due to the enactment of the Anti-Homosexuality Act, which likely hampered their access to education. In addition, while Ugandan law provides for free primary education, the cost of school supplies, meals, and other materials often impeded some children from attending school. Research found that these fees are paid directly to the schools, and if students are not able to pay the amount in full, they might be prevented from attending or completing their term. Other barriers to education include lack of teachers, poor school infrastructure, and lack of transportation, particularly in remote rural areas where children may have to walk very long distances to the nearest school. In addition, although free primary education laws apply equally to refugee children, reports indicate that some are wrongfully classified as "international students," resulting in a significant increase of their education fees. Girls, especially those in refugee camps, are also at particular risk of being out of school and vulnerable to exploitation due to gender-based violence, harassment, and the pressure to undertake domestic duties. Additionally, for a number of refugee settlements, such as Nakivale, schools are often located far from where refugees live and are inadequately equipped to meet the needs of the large student population.

Uganda has not ratified the Palermo Protocol on Trafficking in Persons. In addition, Uganda's laws do not meet international standards on the minimum age for hazardous work because children ages 12 and older enrolled in an educational training or apprenticeship programs may get permission from a commissioner to engage in hazardous work.

* Country has no conscription
‡ Age calculated based on available information

Uganda’s existing legal framework governing child labor does not meet international standards. While Uganda has a list of hazardous occupations and activities prohibited for children under the age of 18, Section 8 of the Employment of Children Regulations permits a commissioner to allow children ages 12 and older enrolled in an educational training or apprenticeship program to engage in hazardous work, in violation of international standards. In addition, children in Uganda are required to attend school only up to age 13, making children ages 13 to 15 vulnerable to child labor because they are not required to attend school while also not being legally permitted to work. Finally, although Uganda has adopted policies to extend universal education through the secondary level, by law free education is limited to the primary level.

In 2023, labor and criminal law enforcement agencies in Uganda took actions to address child labor. However, the lack of a budget for the labor inspectorate to conduct labor inspections and the inability to assess penalties hindered enforcement efforts.

In 2023, 180 labor inspectors conducted an unknown number of worksite inspections. In addition, the government conducted 510 investigations into suspected cases of the worst forms of child labor, initiated 289 prosecutions, and convicted 18 perpetrators.

‡ The government had other policies that may have addressed child labor issues or had an impact on child labor.

For information about USDOL’s projects to address child labor around the world, visit https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/ilab-project-page-search
† Program is funded by the Government of Uganda.
‡ The government had other social programs that may have included the goal of eliminating or preventing child labor.

The suggested government actions below would close gaps USDOL has identified in Uganda's implementation of its international commitments to eliminate the worst forms of child labor.

Download the 2023 Bibliography