Parenting Practices and Attitudes Instigating and Perpetuating Child Labour in Mining Communities in Tanzania

Abstract

Child labour elimination is a challenge in almost all countries worldwide. Studiesshow that child labour is deep-rooted within households where it is produced andsupplied to various economic sectors as specifically demanded. The knowledgeabout how it evolves within the household during an individual ' s childhood iscomplex. This study explores the influence of parenting practices and attitudes onthe genesis of child labour in small-scale gold mining communities in Tanzania. Aqualitative research approach was adopted during the investigation. A purposefullyselected sample of 73 participants obtained from the population of miningcommunities in Tabora and Shinyanga was used. Primary data were collectedusing in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, while secondary data weregathered from grey literature. The collected qualitative data were subjected tocontent analysis. The major findings established that the problem of child labourevolves and is perpetuated during an individual ' s childhood due to households ' parenting practices and attitudes towards child work. It is proposed that thegovernment, policymakers and other stakeholders responsible for the eliminationof child labour should design and implement intervention policies and programmesaimed at changing parenting attitudes of community members and practicestowards child work.