LIMA, Peru (CMC) — Amid growing concerns over the impact of the economic downturn, the International Labour Office (ILO) has warned that efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labour in the region are slowing down, calling for a "re-energised" campaign to end the practice.

"Progress is uneven, neither fast enough nor comprehensive enough to reach the goals that we have set," said ILO director general Juan Somavia.

"New and large-scale efforts are needed, and the situation calls for a re-energised campaign against child labour. We must scale up action and move into a higher gear."

"The economic downturn cannot become an excuse for diminished ambition and inaction. Instead it offers the opportunity to implement the policy measures that work for people, for recovery and for sustainable development," Somavia said.

In a new study, issued here on Saturday, the ILO said while child labour has declined substantially in the Caribbean and Latin America in recent years, there are still 5.7 million working girls and boys who are under the minimum age for employment or are engaged in work that must be abolished.

It said that the majority of these children work in agriculture, but there are also many thousands of girls and boys working in other high-risk sectors, such as mining, dumpsites, domestic labour, fireworks manufacturing and fishing.

"Support to defining and mapping hazardous labour, developing child labour monitoring systems and involving the social partners in these processes are IPEC priorities for the region," said the report, referring to the ILO's International Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour.

It said in many countries, domestic labour in "third party homes" is the second largest sector in which children, mostly girls, work.

The report said that the unconditional worst forms of child labour, such as commercial sexual exploitation, trafficking of children for labour, and use of children in armed conflict and in the drug trade pose particular challenges since they involve criminal activities that are "hidden and difficult to tackle".

It said some of these also pose particular risks to girls, who are often more vulnerable due to prevalent cultural and social patriarchal norms.

The ILO said IPEC is working to develop intervention models to address these worst forms and ensure that adequate legal frameworks are in place, and national capacities are strengthened to enforce them.

It said IPEC has a strong regional approach to its activities in the region, promoting child labour eradication in the regional economic integration agenda, as well as in regional declarations and agreements.

Through regional groups, the ILO said IPEC has fostered the promotion of joint legislation on combating child labour and its worst forms.

It said mainstreaming of child labour concerns into government policies and programmes in the region, especially those concerned with poverty eradication and education, such as conditional income transfers, "has been and will continue to be a strong focus of IPEC's work".

  0 comments

  0 comments

  0 comments

  18 comments

  5 comments

  0 comments

  0 comments

  0 comments

  10 comments

  0 comments

  0 comments

  0 comments

  0 comments

  0 comments

  0 comments

  0 comments

  0 comments

  0 comments

  0 comments

  0 comments