LEFT TO RIGHT: Augustino Ayeko from the Central Equatoria State Ministry and World Vision's Sarah Naduru and Malish Obede during a discussion on child labor on Monday, September 15, 2025 - Credit: Eye Radio/Darlington Moses

Juba, South Sudan (Eye Radio) —Parental poverty is a key factor driving the rising rates of child labor and school dropouts across South Sudan, according to child protection officials.

Speaking on Eye Radio’s Sundown show on Monday, September 15, Sarah Naduru, Gender & Protection Officer at World Vision South Sudan, stated that many families lack the resources to meet their children’s basic needs, forcing children to seek work for survival.

“Children working in homes and communities is a common phenomenon,” Naduru said. “One major reason is parental poverty; when families lack sufficient resources, they are unable to meet their children’s needs, leading children to seek work elsewhere.”

Naduru also noted that family separation, peer pressure, and cultural norms can contribute to the problem.

She explained that in some cultures, children are expected to participate in communal farming, a practice she said can be considered a form of child labor, as it often causes them to miss school.

Malish Obede, Child Protection Officer in Emergencies at World Vision, urged stakeholders to address the root causes of poverty, which he said would significantly reduce the need for child labor.

He also called for increased community awareness about children’s rights to education, noting that many parents may not realize it is their legal and moral responsibility to send their children to school.

In response to the crisis, Augustino Ayeko, Director of Gender at the Central Equatoria State Ministry of Gender, Child, and Social Welfare, announced that new policies are being developed to address the barriers preventing children from accessing education.

“Everything is currently on the table, and we have developed a new policy,” Ayeko said, adding that he believes “transformation takes time and requires careful planning.”

Ayeko also stated that the government is working to combat drug abuse, which he said is negatively impacting the nation’s youth.

According to media reports, over 2.8 million school-age children—more than 70% of all children in the country—are currently out of school due to factors including conflict, displacement, poverty, and cultural barriers.