Children’s work in the livestock sector: Herding and beyond

value-adding certification schemes such as Fair
Trade must also meet standards that include no
child or forced labour. 20 Traceability is a challenge in
today’s complex supply chains; however, a number
of technologies and social or business enterprises
are springing up to deal with these limitations.
Forward-looking producers and policy-makers may
want to consider the expansion of private sector
standards on child labour and their extension
further down the supply chain when planning their
agrobusiness development strategies. CSR policies
may also provide development opportunities, as
some of these standards also require or support
corrective measures, such as education of children
withdrawn from child labour.
2.3.1 Universality of child rights
Besides being defined by biological and
developmental characteristics that make a child
different from an adult, notions of ‘child’ and
‘childhood’ are cultural and social constructions.
In different parts of the world, in different societies
and cultures, children have different functions.
Summary points 2
Eurocentric ideas of childhood are largely based on
the individual, while many non-Eurocentric ideas of
childhood are related to the functions and roles of
a child within the family or community. Gamlin and
Pastor (2009) issue a warning with regard to the
individualistic aspect of universal child rights; what
is in the best interest of the child can interfere with
the best interest of the household. A debate exists
between the universalism and (cultural) relativism
of human rights. The debate, however, has reached
an impasse and human rights anthropologists are
now concerned primarily with the uses, meanings
and relationships of rights in particular local
contexts (Speed, 2006).
Finally, it should be acknowledged that from
the basic provisions from which universal and
regional rights instruments operate, there is usually
a call for implementation through national laws
and regulations that conforms to local realities.
International legislation should be designed so that
it meets local needs and is reflective of the diverse
interests of those in the local context.
Child labour is defined as any work performed by a child (under 18 years) that is likely to interfere with the child’s
compulsory education, or to be harmful to the child’s health or physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development.
Consequences of child labour can include adult and youth un-/underemployment, low wages, poverty and general
vulnerability. Child labour can also have consequences for agricultural development and economic growth at the national
level due to its negative impact on human capital.
Structural poverty is a principal cause and consequence of child labour.
Child labour is often caused by poverty plus other additional pull or push factors, such as those related to education
and social and cultural traditions and beliefs.
The quality, accessibility and safety of education, as well as the employment prospects after completion, influence
how children’s time is allocated between education and work, as do social and cultural beliefs.
In the livestock sector, time-consuming activities, such as herding, and other factors, such as migration, introduce
further challenges to education or combining education with work.
Innovative approaches that aim to address these barriers to education include boarding schools, distance learning,
mobile schools, school feeding programmes or cash transfers, as well as Pastoralist Field Schools and Livestock
Farmer Field Schools.
Pastoralist communities are increasingly recognizing the importance of education, as it can contribute to income
diversification for the household when it is difficult to rely on livestock.
Important conventions providing the framework for international standards on child labour are the United Nations
Convention on the Rights of the Child, ILO Convention No. 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour and ILO
Convention No. 138 on the Minimum Age for Admission to Employment and Work. The first international instrument
that addresses the safety and health hazards facing workers specifically in agriculture is the ILO’s Safety and Health
in Agriculture Convention No. 184.
International legislation should be designed so that it meets local needs and is reflective of the diverse interests of
those in the local context.
20 For example, the Fairtrade Standard for Hired Labour and the Fairtrade Standard for Small Producer Organizations.
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