World day against child labour in conflicts and disasters - Protect children from the child labour
On the 15th Anniversary of the World Day against Child Labour (WDACL), The ILO Pakistan Office, in collaboration with its tripartite constituents, UN and the Civil Society Organizations, is engaging in focused activities to raise awareness on elimination of child labour so that to reiterate its commitment towards a society, free of child labour and child abuse.
ISLAMABAD (ILO News): On the 15th Anniversary of the World Day against Child Labour (WDACL), The ILO Pakistan Office, in collaboration with its tripartite constituents, UN and the Civil Society Organizations, is engaging in focused activities to raise awareness on elimination of child labour so that to reiterate its commitment towards a society, free of child labour and child abuse.
The global theme for WDACL 2017 is ‘In conflict and disasters, protect children from child labour’. Disasters and conflicts have adverse effects on people’s lives; they bring catastrophic impacts and ensue poverty; one of the key root cause of the child labour, globally. Conflicts and disasters also cause huge displacements and children on the move are especially vulnerable to trafficking and child labour, during transit and after arriving at the refugee destinations.
Globally, an estimated 250 million children live in areas affected by armed conflict. Each year almost 70 million children are affected by natural disasters. Many of the 168 million children engaged in child labour live in conflict-and disaster-affected areas. Children also make up more than half of the population of the 65 million people presently displaced by war and conflicts.
The ILO’s Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No.138) and the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No.182) have now been ratified by 169 and 180 members states (including Pakistan) respectively. Furthermore member states including Pakistan are fully committed under 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda to eliminate all forms of child labour by 2025. The international community is paying more and more attention to the subject matter and is promoting integrated approaches to eliminate the child labour, however, much more is required to be accomplished. Though the child labour concerns are now mainstreamed into public policy in multiple relevant fields; the interventions are advocating for better school-to-work transition and skills matching; and there is a greater discussion on its existence, predominantly in unpaid family work in agriculture, both formal and informal, and in the various other sectors of the informal economy, yet, there is a need to expedite our collective efforts. The decent work country programme for Pakistan-III (2016-2020), clearly articulates Pakistan’s national ambition to eliminate the child labour form both formal and informal sectors.
This year, at the national level, the ILO Country office for Pakistan is engaging in host of focused activities in collaboration with its partners throughout Pakistan, to mark the eminence of the day and promote dialogue on the co-relation between the national development agenda and elimination of child labour in Pakistan. The availability of reliable data and its analysis for programming; legislative coverage and its enforcement; social protection, education for all; role of public private sector; role of ILO’s social partner’s; children engagement; and community engagement are envisaged to be highlighted as foundation stones for the national to community level actions.
To raise awareness on these elements, ILO is collaborating with the Government of Punjab’s integrated project through a seminar to raise awareness on the importance of collective efforts to eliminate child labour from both formal and informal economy in Punjab. Similarly, ILO Pakistan Office is organizing an awareness raising/ consultative seminar in Lahore while engaging the private sector and has produced information, education and communications materials distributed among sports goods industry in Sialkot.
ILO is also collaborating with UNICEF and the National Commissioner for Children’s office in organizing a seminar and a panel discussion at Islamabad, where, experts will share their views and recommendations to further improve the situation in Pakistan and to achieve its goal set under the relevant national frameworks. Last but not the least, a high level tripartite seminar on the subject matter is due to take place towards end of this month to be organized by the Employers’ Federation of Pakistan with ILO’s support. This will be an opportunity to highlight the progress made so far as well as show case the tripartite commitment to address the manse of child labour in Pakistan.
The global theme for WDACL 2017 is ‘In conflict and disasters, protect children from child labour’. Disasters and conflicts have adverse effects on people’s lives; they bring catastrophic impacts and ensue poverty; one of the key root cause of the child labour, globally. Conflicts and disasters also cause huge displacements and children on the move are especially vulnerable to trafficking and child labour, during transit and after arriving at the refugee destinations.
Globally, an estimated 250 million children live in areas affected by armed conflict. Each year almost 70 million children are affected by natural disasters. Many of the 168 million children engaged in child labour live in conflict-and disaster-affected areas. Children also make up more than half of the population of the 65 million people presently displaced by war and conflicts.
The ILO’s Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No.138) and the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No.182) have now been ratified by 169 and 180 members states (including Pakistan) respectively. Furthermore member states including Pakistan are fully committed under 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda to eliminate all forms of child labour by 2025. The international community is paying more and more attention to the subject matter and is promoting integrated approaches to eliminate the child labour, however, much more is required to be accomplished. Though the child labour concerns are now mainstreamed into public policy in multiple relevant fields; the interventions are advocating for better school-to-work transition and skills matching; and there is a greater discussion on its existence, predominantly in unpaid family work in agriculture, both formal and informal, and in the various other sectors of the informal economy, yet, there is a need to expedite our collective efforts. The decent work country programme for Pakistan-III (2016-2020), clearly articulates Pakistan’s national ambition to eliminate the child labour form both formal and informal sectors.
This year, at the national level, the ILO Country office for Pakistan is engaging in host of focused activities in collaboration with its partners throughout Pakistan, to mark the eminence of the day and promote dialogue on the co-relation between the national development agenda and elimination of child labour in Pakistan. The availability of reliable data and its analysis for programming; legislative coverage and its enforcement; social protection, education for all; role of public private sector; role of ILO’s social partner’s; children engagement; and community engagement are envisaged to be highlighted as foundation stones for the national to community level actions.
To raise awareness on these elements, ILO is collaborating with the Government of Punjab’s integrated project through a seminar to raise awareness on the importance of collective efforts to eliminate child labour from both formal and informal economy in Punjab. Similarly, ILO Pakistan Office is organizing an awareness raising/ consultative seminar in Lahore while engaging the private sector and has produced information, education and communications materials distributed among sports goods industry in Sialkot.
ILO is also collaborating with UNICEF and the National Commissioner for Children’s office in organizing a seminar and a panel discussion at Islamabad, where, experts will share their views and recommendations to further improve the situation in Pakistan and to achieve its goal set under the relevant national frameworks. Last but not the least, a high level tripartite seminar on the subject matter is due to take place towards end of this month to be organized by the Employers’ Federation of Pakistan with ILO’s support. This will be an opportunity to highlight the progress made so far as well as show case the tripartite commitment to address the manse of child labour in Pakistan.