Country Factsheets (Africa Region)

Throughout the continent, children are trafficked for slavery and forced labour and hazardous work, are forced to participate in armed conflict, used for prostitution, pornography or in illicit activities.

Children are often exploited and abused by both domestic and external actors including family members, community leaders, state and non-state actors, foreign tourists and international criminal gangs who are engaged in the production of child pornography, sex trafficking and the illegal harvesting and sale of organs.

Significant efforts have been made to end the exploitation of children in Africa. The African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, for example, has contributed to advancing efforts to end violence against children through its General Comments and its Days of General Discussion that focused on ending child marriage, sexual exploitation, and child labour, among other things. African governments have been investing more in policy reforms, social services which benefit children and are increasingly taking steps to prevent and respond to violence and exploitation.

Terre des Hommes Netherlands works with various stakeholders to accelerate actions against child exploitation. We work directly with the children affected, their families and communities, government institutions and structures including legislators, law enforcement officials, ministry officials, CSOs, NGOs and INGOs, media agencies, private sector companies and individuals to address systemic drivers of child exploitation, strengthening child protection systems and advocating for children’s rights.

Uganda is the least developed country located in East Africa. The total population projection stands at approximately 45.6 million. Uganda has one of the youngest populations in the world, with 44 per cent of its citizens under 14 years of age. Most children have experienced some form of violence and abuse that threatens and halts their holistic and positive development. Economically, Uganda is steadily progressing and has achieved moderate economic growth over the past decades.

In Uganda, many of the problems children face can be attributed to limited access to quality education services, negative social and cultural norms but also poor governance, which is characterised by corruption, lack of capacity or political will and insufficient budget allocations.

At Terre des Hommes Netherlands, we are committed to addressing the root causes that leave children vulnerable to exploitation, while also empowering them to advocate for themselves and have their voices heard.

Tanzania is one of Africa’s fastest-growing economies, with youth under the age of 15 years making up 45 percent of the country’s population of 55 million.

Girls and boys living with disabilities in Tanzania still suffer from sexual violence, including child and forced marriage, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and sexual assault, exploitation and abuse despite governmental efforts to prevent this violence.

Tanzania has made important steps toward protecting children, including through child justice reform. Nonetheless, violence, exploitation, and abuse are realities for many children and adolescents in Tanzania. Those at greatest risk include children living with disabilities, those suffering extreme poverty, girls and boys in institutional care and children separated from their families or on the move.

Terre des Hommes Netherlands in Tanzania aims to protect children from all forms of violence, which is critical for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to education, gender equality and health.

In Kenya, violence against children remains a serious problem, with nearly half of females (45.9%) and more than half of males (56.1%) experiencing childhood violence. Nearly one in six females experienced childhood sexual violence, and 62.6% of these females experienced multiple instances of such violence, according to the 2019 National Violence Against Children Survey report.

Kenya is also a source, transit and destination country for human trafficking. One-third of all trafficking victims is a child, mostly trafficked for sexual exploitation. Kenyan children face several issues that expose them to violence and exploitation. Social and economic vulnerability makes children from families or communities with harmful practices or struggling economies more susceptible to violence and exploitation.

Sexual exploitation is particularly concerning, with 62.6% of females experiencing multiple instances of sexual violence in childhood, and between 5-13% of internet-using children aged 12-17 reporting online child sexual exploitation and abuse in the past year. Additionally, children are at risk of child labour and human trafficking for forced labour and sexual exploitation.

Terre des Hommes Netherlands in Kenya focuses on curbing sexual exploitation of children, child labour, child trafficking and unsafe migration. We do this by working with communities, government, private sector, civil society organisations and children themselves, at the centre, to address systemic and structural drivers that expose children to exploitation. We collaborate with other actors to influence the strengthening of the legal and policy environment for better promotion and protection of children’s rights.

Approximately ten thousand Malagasy children, as young as age 4, work alongside their families to extract mica in Madagascar in order to survive.  They are exposed to substantial risks to their health and well-being. These vulnerable children often face chronic food insecurity.  Some of them develop respiratory problems and experience back pains from carrying heavy loads. They lack basic services such as water, education and health facilities and are exposed to risks such as sexual exploitation and early child marriage.

Terre des Hommes Netherlands in Madagascar focuses on stopping child labour in the mica mines. Protecting these children through school enrollment and Income Generating Activities (IGA) support for their families is a key element of our work. At the same time, sensitisation plays a major role in our programme. By working with communities, schools, families, community members, government officials and the private sector, we aim to raise awareness and contribute to eradicate child labour once and for all.