A recent labor market survey reports that 30% of underage persons in the country are engaged in child labor.

The acting national Minister for Labor, Public Service and Human Resource Development, Kwong Danhier said that there are too many children engaged in child labor in South Sudan.

He was speaking during a day dedicated to mark child labor day, yesterday in Juba.

“Children who are engaged in child labor in South Sudan are mostly school dropouts in need of protection,” he said. “We’re among the worst countries in regard to child labor.”

Meanwhile, a representative of the European Union in South Sudan, Christian Manahl said if children are able to stay in school, child labor will be reduced.

“If children are not in schools, if they are working, they are not only compromising their future not only of themselves but of the whole country, and it’s extremely important for South Sudan, that, as many children as possible go to schools, learn what they themselves need, and what the country needs for the future.”

The Labor Ministry says it will develop a list involving risk to children to inform and educate the community about child labor.