“I Must Work to Eat”: Covid-19, poverty, and child labor in Ghana, Nepal, and Uganda

Remarkable progresses in reducing child labor was made worldwide before the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic caused massive school closures and unprecedented loss of jobs and incomes for millions of families. This resulted in many children entering the workforce to help their families survive, other children have been forced to work longer hours or enter more precarious and exploitative situations.

Children’s rights have been profoundly impacted by the pandemic, including their right to an adequate standard of living, their right to education, and protection from child labor. In this report, the child labor and poverty during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana, Nepal, and Uganda is examined.