† 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.

Children at Higher Risk

Refugee children born in The Gambia are at risk of statelessness, as Gambian law only grants citizenship to children with a Gambian parent, not all children born in the country. Individuals without birth registrations, especially children of single mothers and those in rural areas, are vulnerable to exploitation, including child labor. Senegalese children trafficked to The Gambia are exploited for domestic labor, commercial sexual exploitation, fishing, and street work such as begging or shoe shining. Although the number of children enrolled in Koranic schools called daaras is unknown, these children are vulnerable to forced begging, street vending, and agricultural work.

Barriers to Education Access

The Constitution and Gambian law mandate free compulsory primary and lower-secondary education. Families, however, are often responsible for supplies and uniforms, exam fees, and contributions to school funds. In addition, inadequate classroom infrastructure, low numbers of teachers in rural areas, lack of transportation, teacher absenteeism, and limited access to clean water and toilets in schools create barriers for children to access education, increasing their vulnerability to child labor and exploitation. A UNICEF study found that 14 percent of teachers were absent from school at least once a week, with even higher rates reported in rural schools. Children with disabilities face significant barriers in accessing education, including the absence of special education programs outside of urban centers. Beginning in grade four, teachers are required to teach in English, which can limit learning for students who speak local languages. Teachers reported that students who spoke a language they did not speak were absent more frequently.

‡ Age calculated based on available information.

The Gambia permits children as young as age 16 to engage in light work and children as young as age 12 to work as a child apprentice in the informal sector. While the Children's Act generally prohibits children from working in conditions that would be harmful to their health, education, or development, the Act does not determine the activities in which light work or apprenticeships may be permitted, prescribe the number of hours per week for light work or apprenticeships, or specify the conditions in which light work or apprenticeships may be undertaken. The Children's Act provides for compulsory basic education. However, the law does not explicitly specify at what age basic education begins or how many years basic education lasts. In addition, while children in The Gambia are required to attend school up to age 16 based on current policy, this standard makes children ages 16 through 18 vulnerable to child labor, as they are not required to attend school but are not legally permitted to work.

It is unknown how many labor inspectors conducted worksite inspections, or whether child labor violations were found. It is also unknown whether investigations into suspected cases of the worst forms of child labor were conducted, prosecutions were initiated, or perpetrators were convicted.

‡ 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 was launched during the reporting period.
† Program is funded by the Government of The Gambia.
‡ The government had other programs that may have addressed child labor issues or had an impact on child labor.

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