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- 5.3 Natural resource scarcity that is fueling resource based conflicts
- 5.4 Harmful cultural practices
- Chapter Three 6. Profiles and overview of child labour in selected Districts occupied by indigenous peoples in Kenya
- 6.1.1.Affected indigenous communities
- 6.1.2. Types of child labour activities in Isiolo
- 6.1.3. Institutional profiles
5.2 PovertyThe Kenya Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper(2000-04) document the highest incidences of poverty and the lowest levels of access to basic services, education, communication, health and other basic services and infrastructure among the pastoralists communities. Owing to the reduction of pastoralists grazing areas through displacement by military, conservation and other state interest has meant the decline in the traditional occupations of indigenous peoples and increased in extreme levels of poverty. This is further compounded by lack of support or inadequate measures by the government to support pastoralists’ survival options. This has increased the number of destitute household who have no otherwise other than making their children work as a strategy for them to re-build their livelihoods 5.3 Natural resource scarcity that is fueling resource based conflictsDifferent indigenous people’s communities are in serious conflict with other indigenous communities, government, conservationists, mainstream communities etc as they compete for natural resources. The armed conflicts- that are evident among the northern pastoralists groups has led to displacement of weaker groups to urban centers in search of security and others segments of affected social groups are involuntarily driven out of pastoralism. In such circumstance, children become a source of income, through working, early marriages and for survival prostitution is a common practice for instance, among the, Turkana living on the periphery of Maralal (Loikas village), Isiolo(Ngare mara) 5.4 Harmful cultural practicesFemale genital Mutilation, circumcision and early marriages contribute to child labour among the indigenous communities and they remain a constant barrier to the realization of universal basic education among these communities. 5.5 Social disruption of traditional livelihoodsTraditional livelihoods have been and continue to be disrupted through dispossessions of ancestral lands, conflicts and inappropriate policies. These communities have no other tangible life skills and will use their children as source of cheap labour as survival mechanism 5.6 HIV/AIDSThe number of children orphaned by hiv/aids is increasing and so is the number of children who are working to be able to take care of their siblings and with the social disruptions of traditional livelihoods, the social safety nets have been distorted and weakened to the level that relatives tend to use orphans to look after their livestock, while their own kids go to school. Chapter Three6. Profiles and overview of child labour in selected Districts occupied by indigenous peoples in Kenya6.1 Isiolo DistrictIsiolo is one of the administrative districts of eastern province of Kenya and predominantly pastoralists occupied. Geographically it is arid land, with the rains being scarce and unreliable. The district covers an area of 25,605 square kilometres and is sub-divided into six administrative divisions, which are further sub-divided into 17 locations. There is only one local authority in the district, the Isiolo County Council, which is divided into fourteen wards. There are two constituencies, and thus, two members of parliament in the district, which are Isiolo North and south. The district is among the least populated. The population is also sparsely distributed. It has an estimated population growth of 4.8% and in 2001. The population is projected to be about 133,000 in 2006. The high population growth is due to high immigration from the neighbouring districts. The immigration is increased due to the aridity northwards and pastoralists’ communities from these districts move southwards in search of pasture and water, while the Meru population from the high agricultural potential Meru district continue to move in to exploit the business potential in the district. There are a number of communities residing in Isiolo, with the Borana pastoralists being the dominant population and forming the power centres within the political and local government structures. Around 50% of the population is youthful, being within 0-29 age bracket. According to the district development plan, it is estimated that the population in the primary school-going age of 6-13 is 27,068 and the free education policy is expected to contribute in the development of more physical infrastructure. The rate of gainful employment is low and the main source of livelihood for a considerable proportion of the population, namely pastoralism, is on the decline. The dependency ratio is estimated at 100:116, which means that any given time there are 100 working people supporting 116 dependents and the situation is expected to prevail. There is a need to evolve strategic means of investing in the population so as to ensure that their human resource capacity is enhanced so as to break this vicious cycle of dependency. 6.1.1.Affected indigenous communitiesThe district is predominantly occupied by the Borana community, however, we also have other communities both indigenous and non indigenous. The Indigenous communities include the Samburu, Watta, and Turkana and others the influx of the Meru people from the neighbouring Meru district. The Borana are sub divided into clans, where political power and social influence are concentrated and spread in a hierarchy defined through traditional institutions of decision-making. Child labour is rampant among the clans and sub tribes such as the watta who find themselves at bottom of the order of hierarchy. 6.1.2. Types of child labour activities in IsioloAs stated elsewhere in this study, pinning down statistical evidence on the number of children engaged in different forms of child labour is, and will continue to be, challenging. During a national workshop to discuss Child Labour among the Indigenous peoples in Kenya, the participants from each district were asked to give an overview on the extent of child labour in their district. The information is based on the perception, observation and experience of the participants and does not draw from any specific study and as such, should not be considered to be the whole truth. The Matrix below also mentions the affected communities. A village called Ngare Mara was used as a study area to try and count the number of working children and the forms of child labour undertaken. The participants could not account for children who worked outside the district.. Isiolo District (Ngare Mara Village on the Isiolo- Moyale Road)
6.1.3. Institutional profilesThe study did make an attempt (not exhaustive) to establish an institutional profile of different organisations and actors who have projects addressing child labour and education within selected districts. The study went ahead to pin down the actual interventions and how it is beneficial to the indigenous children and their communities and what nature of challenges they face in the process of delivering the interventions.
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