National programme on the elimination of in Quick Facts Awareness and Mobilization Campaign against Child Labour among key trade unions in the Countries: Nigeria country; facilitation of the incorporation of Child Final Evaluation: Jan 2005 Labour issues in Nigeria’s Tertiary Education Mode of Evaluation: independent Social Sciences Curriculum; the Design and Establishment of Data base Framework for Technical Area: Child Labour Monitoring (ex) child workers; and production Evaluation Management: IPEC of a prototype blueprint for mainstreaming Child Evaluation Team: Ibrahim A. Kolo (team Labour concerns into Teacher Education leader) with M.T. Mustapha & Godwin Ashituabe Programmes in Nigeria. The Direct Action Projects included withdrawal, rehabilitation and Project Code: NIR/99/05/060 possible reintegration of children head loaders, Donor: United States prostitutes, domestic workers, scavengers, street Keywords: Child Labour hawkers and bus conductors in three major Nigerian cities. For all the projects, nine partners ranging from one government establishment to Extract from the executive summary of three consultancy outfits and five NGO’s were the full report the implementing agencies.

This report is basically a qualitative analytical Using researcher developed and pilot tested data rendition of an independent final evaluation of sourcing instruments and procedures the Federal Government of Nigeria/ International (Interviews, Focus Group Discussions and Labour Organization (ILO) National Programme Inventories), data were sourced from the on the Elimination of Child Labour (NPECL) implementing agencies at Abuja, Ibadan, Lagos, under the International Program on the Kaduna and Minna. The focus of the evaluation Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC), including was essentially to determine the relevance of the nine Action Programmes as part of the National projects implementation design utilized, Programme which were funded between August verification of procedures stipulated, 2001 to June 2003. The NPECL is basically achievements and effects of the projects put in categorisable (in terms of the objectives and place, impact created and indicators of expected outcomes) into: (1) Awareness raising sustainability. The main analytical framework and (2) Direct Action for community and civil used for data collection and analysis is the society initiatives in Child Labour eradication. qualitative approach as a result of which major findings were as follows: Specifically, the awareness raising projects were undertaken by the National Program office and (1) The National Policy on Child Labour has not included capacity building in the Child Labour been produced and the envisaged policy level Unit of Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of sensitization and awareness for confronting Employment, Labour and Productivity; National Child Labour has not been attained.

ILO Evaluation Summaries 1

(2) The ILO/IPEC project of capacity building (1) The intricate and rather cumbersome funding with the Federal Ministry of Employment, procedure by IPEC had a drawback effect on Labour and Productivity (FMEL&P) is yet to be projects implementation as evidenced by delays completed. The major component of establishing in the release of tranches to implementing a resource center for Child Labour information is agencies. This accounted for why certain far from being accomplished as a functional unit. components of most projects were either The Child Labour Unit, however, appears to haphazardly done or in some cases not have gained from interactive sessions organized implemented at all. under the auspices of the project. (2) Similarly, there was a perceived (3) The project on withdrawal of street children insufficiency of funds and lack of will by some and prostitutes in Ibadan has created awareness partners to generate extra sources of funding to (among stakeholders in the target area and augment. This limited the effectiveness, impact population) that children in such distress and sustainability of projects. situations can be helped, but the enormity of work (given the situation on ground) and (3) There was a delay in the commencement of expected resource mobilization to stem the tide both the National the Action Programme of the problem still leaves much to be desired. segments due mainly to lack of human and financial capacity of the implementing agencies. (4) The project on withdrawal and re-integration Training provided by the National Programmme of children in prostitution and domestic work Office to enhance the capacities of the agencies handled by the Women Consortium of Nigeria was helpful in ameliorating the problem. (WOCON) in Lagos generated awareness among stakeholders like brothel owners, pimps and Lessons Learned middle- persons who are very resistant to any Based on the outcome of this evaluation, the attempts to help them. following were the lessons learned:

(5) The Human Development Initiative (HDI) (1) The NGO’s involved in the Direct Action handled project also generated strong interest Programmes demonstrated greater capacity, among stakeholders (especially the affected experience, knowledge, commitment and children and parents) regarding withdrawal of facilities than governmental institutions/ children from commuter bus work and enrolling establishments in the execution of Projects under in school. This however evidences the need for the National Programme. serious follow-up intervention measures if initial effectiveness and impact is to be sustained. (2) Accommodation facilities (temporary shelter) provided to ex-child workers during (6) The withdrawal and rehabilitation of children rehabilitation in a few cases facilitated the scavengers and street hawkers in Kaduna achievement of the objectives of the (handled by the Human Development programmme by reducing the incidence of Foundation of Nigeria – HDFN and the relapse on the part of the withdrawees. Family Craft Centre- FCC) evidences ways of penetrating and involving local communities and (3) Furthermore, experiences from the Direct stakeholders in any efforts for such children Action Projects indicate that the ex-child victims. The need for sustained intervention and workers showed more interest in the acquisition follow – up work is also manifested. of vocational skills than in formal regular schooling and therefore fewer cases of General Problems Observed withdrawal from vocational training/ In the course of this evaluation, a number of apprenticeship engagements, were recorded than general problems were observed as they affected for those reintegrated into formal schooling. the implementation of both National and Action Programme components.

ILO Evaluation Summaries 2

Best Practices temporary shelter or for the withdrawn children The following were identified as best practices should be integrated into the programme design which contributed positively to the attainment of for effective monitoring and rehabilitation. The the objectives of the Action Programme. children withdrawn and rehabilitated need continuous support after the termination of the (1) The involvement of District programme to complete their schooling and Heads/Traditional rulers and community leaders vocational training. in the mobilization of their communities for participation in identification of under aged State and Local Governments need to be further working children enhanced the support and sensitised and be more involved in the planning cooperation of parents of ex-child workers, and and execution of Direct Action Programmes to the vocational master trainers in the enable them take over the ownership of the implementation of the Action Programme in projects for sustainability. Kaduna metropolis. Conclusions (2) Collaborating partners in the projects which The FGN/ILO/IPEC National Programme to took along key stakeholders and networking eliminate Child Labour in Nigeria is a viable partners tended to achieve more in terms of project. The objectives of the programme were target objectives. found desirable, readily achievable and were significantly but not wholly achieved due mainly (3) Partners who sought to maximize funds and to untimely disbursement of funds, short sought extra sources of funds were able to cope programme life span and lack of the required better with demands. Partners that initiated extra capacity on the part of implementing partners. (especially post intervention) measures during and after projects implementation enhanced The benefits derived by the ex-child workers and sustainability. their parents from the programme are worth the time and resource inputs into the programme. Recommendations Enhanced awareness of the issues and problems Based on the outcomes of this evaluation the of Child Labour has been created in targeted following recommendations were made: communities largely due to the activities embarked upon under the Direct Action More work is required to achieve the required Programmes. National Policy level consciousness and commitment to Child Labour eradication in Nigeria.

Funding should be adequate and timely disbursement of funds is necessary to enable implementing agencies to work within the specified project duration. There is a need to work out a less bureaucratic entangling approach to the release of funds and accounting as well as the effective monitoring of Implementing Agencies to detect any problems in order to assist in correcting them. The time frame for future Direct Action projects involving withdrawal, rehabilitation and reintegration should be extended to at least three years to give more time for effective rehabilitation and reintegration. Vocational skills acquisition requires at least 3 years in order to have any meaningful impact. Furthermore, provision of

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