Editorial
Analysis
Study on the eucalyptus vital
Trees are an important component when it comes to environmental conservation or
restoration. Trees are also important for attracting rainfall.
But experts say that there are certain types of tree species that consume ground
water above the average amount. If they are planted in semi arid areas, the
consequences could be serious.
This is why environmentalists insist that extra care should be exercised
whenever tree planting is carried out.
Recently, the Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Natural Resources and
Tourism Solomon Odunga, called upon scientists to study the effects of
eucalyptus trees on the environment and their contribution to poverty
alleviation.
Part of the confusion is that laymen give contradicting statements. Some say
that the tree has a large suction capacity of ground water and can cause the
land where they are planted to become arid.
Others say that as regards poverty alleviation, the eucalyptus tree mature
easily and can be used as timber and construction materials; thus it can be used
as an income generating contributor.
What worries us is that so far, one cannot come to any general conclusions as
regards the eucalyptus tree. For example, in Singida Region there are an
abundance of eucalyptus trees.
Since planting the trees, the region has become drier and drier. Some trees were
planted near swamps but since then the swamps have completely dried up.
We support Odunga for a study to be carried out so as to clear the reigning
confusion. Let scientists conduct the said study so that the effects of the
eucalyptus tree could be identified and the public informed.
Second thoughts on the third age
Around the world, rich countries are reforming their pension systems in
preparation for the ageing of their populations. Now it is America’s turn, as
George Bush plans to introduce individual accounts into Social Security, the
state pension system. However, 60% of old people live in the developing world;
by mid-century, 80% will. They, too, will want adequate and affordable incomes
in old age. Their governments will also want to consider how, by changing the
amounts and the ways people save, pension reform might affect economic
development.
In 1994, the World Bank set out its thinking on pensions in developing countries
in a landmark report. “Averting the Old Age Crisis” became the reference point
for the Bank’s approach—one given clout by its lending power.
Eleven years on, the Bank has taken stock, reviewing how reforms have worked and
taking account of criticism and new ideas. The result is a new report. “Old-Age
Income Support in the 21st Century”.
The new report says that the case for the Bank to support pension reform has
grown stronger in the past decade. Existing systems are not good enough.
The Bank has taken this lesson to heart. According to the report, pension reform
must take account of workers in the informal economy, who often make up more
than half the labour force in developing countries. And it must also cater for
people who will be poor throughout their lives.
The Bank now calls for an “enhanced focus on basic income provision for all
vulnerable elderly”. Such payments, it says, should be financed by general tax
revenues, not workers’ contributions.
Since “Averting the Old Age Crisis”, there has been fresh thinking about
reforming existing pension systems. The bank has since recognised the potential
of notional accounts, which establish a tight link between payroll contributions
and eventual pension benefits. They are, says the report, a “promising approach
to reform or to implement an unfunded first pillar”.
The new report is overdue. After the 1994 report, the Bank became identified
with a narrow focus on the three-pillar concept, and within that on the funded
second pillar in particular. In fact, its lending policies have been more
flexible: only 30 per cent of its pension-related lending in the past two
decades has been for reforms setting up a second pillar. The report therefore
aligns the Bank’s public position on pension reform with practice.
Analysis
Workable
solutions to fight child labour
If only done in a serious
manner, it is possible to fight child labour. However, doing the groundwork is
imperative to build future success. CHODAWU has shown that it is possible to
trace the causes of child labour in Tanzania, by in detail study three districts
in the country. Timothy Kitundu explores their approach
Proper planning, approach and proper strategies are vital whenever a war is
waged on a certain area, particularly as regards malpractices. This has proved
to be true in the war against child labour.
Some stakeholders involved in the war against the Worst Forms of Child Labour
(WFCL) and exploitative, abusive domestic services have realized achievements.
The secret behind their success is the use of strategies that lead them to
unearth hidden secrets that hold keys to success.
A good example is the Conservation, Hotels Domestic and Allied Workers Union
(CHODAWU) that has been running its Time Bound Programmes (TBP) in six districts
of mainland Tanzania.
According to Vick Kanyoka, Coordinator of the Programme the first strategy
applied was Physical and Social Mapping (PSM), which she said was done in Ilala,
Iringa and Kondoa districts between January and February 2004.
This exercise was done in a participatory manner with community members.
Flipcharts were used to show their wards and mark all significant features such
as social services, available infrastructure, key areas where children depart
and even the leading recruitment villages in the wards.
The exercise brought together the Ward Development Committee (WDC), Child Labour
Committee (CLC) members, influential people, hamlet and street leaders,
extension workers and politicians.
Others included religious representatives, village representatives of special
groups such as the youths, women and village elders. Others were CHODAWU project
staff, the councillors, matrons from district/centres and the District Child
Labour Coordinators.
The PSM proved effective and a number of goals were realized because of the
nature of its aims, which include showing and understanding the demarcation of
districts wards and villages.
The other aim is to establish the natural resources and infrastructure within
the wards, to find out the economic activities carried out by the residents and
identify why children are migrating from their villages and other urban areas.
The major aim of PSM is to provide a detailed ‘transect methodological
analysis’, giving an indication of the contributing factors encouraging children
to migrate to urban areas where they work in very exploitative environments.
In Iringa rural and Kondoa districts the PSM initiative helped uncover a number
of issues that prompt children to work in very exploitative domestic labour.
In Iringa rural District, many people depend on agriculture, especially maize.
Through the PSM approach, it was disclosed that the income per family is between
Tsh. 200 and 500 per month.
Also, social services are inadequate or not in place in some of the villages.
Primary schools, which are poorly equipped, outnumber secondary schools.
In all five wards of the district, for instance, there is only one secondary
school based in Kalenga ward. Most children who completed primary schools had a
narrow chance of joining secondary schools and therefore, the only alternative
was to look for jobs in urban centres.
In terms of health services, the approach showed that malaria, typhoid and
tuberculosis were the major fatal diseases. However, HIV/AIDS is alarming in
Mseke ward with many orphans taken care of by the elderly who could not
adequately look after them due to lack of financial support.
In all wards it was noted that 95 per cent of the villagers depend on shallow
wells and rivers for water and in most cases they have to walk long distances to
fetch water. The lifestyle is generally of a poor nature, which gives extra
burden to women and girls who traditionally do most of the domestic labour.
These setbacks were seen as among the factors which contribute to the employment
of children in the WFCL. Also there were no community recreational facilities.
During the exercise, hitch-hiking and main bus stops were identified to be main
exits for children to be taken to work in urban areas. Good examples of these
‘exits’ were identified as Ifunda, Tanangozi, Kalenga and Ihemi.
Kondoa District is mainly dominated by the Sandawe (Khosain speaking people)
depending heavily on honey and agriculture as income generating activities.
Through PSM, it was revealed that the income per family was between Tsh. 100 and
Tsh. 200 per month. Drought has hit the area for three consecutive years. Hence
there is hunger in the zone and therefore many children are out of the village
or have dropped out of school.
It was further noted that in each village there is a primary school, but
children have to walk a long distance through bushes or forests to reach school.
Lack of food is another aspect that discourages children from attending classes
and makes them look for employment instead.
In all the five wards (a total of 27 villages), there was neither a secondary
school nor a vocational school, which could enrol children who complete Standard
VII, leaving one possible alternative to children: to seek employment in urban
centres.
Other services such as feeder roads and markets (Minada) exist in all villages.
However, the open markets that are held once a month are also used to lure
children to start working. Some start providing their services to
businesspersons in the markets.
Also, the markets have been accused of ferrying children out of the villages.
Many businesspersons who conduct business in the markets are also said to act as
‘child agents’, transporting children to employers in urban centres.
Recreational activities, which could greatly attract children and prevent them
from eyeing employment, have been ignored and are not prioritized in the
society. Sports and other games have been left solely to those attending
schools.
The PSM approach has boldly indicated that it is effective. Although used by
CHODAWU in their TBPs, it can also be used by other organizations that have a
common goal of fighting such malpractices in Tanzania. Let this be a challenge
thrown to other organizations engaged in the war against WFCL.
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