Child labour is one of the principle sources of gross exploitation and abuse existing in Uganda today. However, a definition of child labour is befitting because children do many activities, not work done by children is child labour except the magnitude under which they perform some tasks

What constitute child labour varies from place to place and family to family. Household activities if done in moderation, under supervision and guidance of parents/guardian and in consideration of the capacity and age of the child is accepted as a process of learning and exercising responsibilities within the household, to the extent that, such activities don not constitute a threat to the well-being of children or prevent attendance in educational programmes.

Child Labour is work that is mentally, physically, socially and/or, morally dangerous and harmful to children. In addition, child labour is perceived as work or an activity that interferes with children’s school attendance and a child does those works with a lot of difficulties or they are never happy to do the work.

Hazardous Work is that which by its nature or circumstance under which it is performed, jeopardizes the health, safety and morals of a child. In its extreme form, child labour is accompanied by the use of dangerous tools, long hours of work, heavy loads and tasks, exposure to chemical and dangerous substances, cruelty by employers/parents, sexual abuse and exploitation.
In Lira District the above mentioned characteristics are observed where children are working, child labour takes the form of hazardous work that requires elimination as a matter of urgency. Such child labour is deemed to constitute the worst form of child labour, which calls for a concerted effort to combat it. Such child labour work in Lira District are; stone and sand quarry, grazing of cattle, domestic farming, baby sitters, shop attendants/hawkers, debts bondage, using children for criminal cases, sexual abuses ,long hours of domestic chores, carrying heavy loads among others. Most offenders in this are the immediate relatives, biological parents, step mothers and employers.