African Union, ILO launch campaign to seek child labour elimination
Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, (PANA) – The African Union (AU) has partnered with the International Labour Organization (ILO) to campaign towards the end of child labour.
The two international bodies launched the International Year for the Elimination of Child Labour in Africa at an event held virtually, the ILO said in a statement Thursday.
The launch provided a platform for discussions on the progress towards the elimination of child labour by identifying the gaps.
The global community campaign against child labour and forced labour seeks to address the challenges posed by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
During the launch of the International Year for the Elimination of Child Labour in Africa, participants sought action towards the achievement of the African Union Agenda 2063.
“The African Union’s Ten Year Plan of Action is ambitious and achievable. Over 10 years (2020-2030), we will all work together to protect the rights of all, including children involved in child labour. It is up to us to build the future of our continent,” said Amira El Fadil, African Union Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development.
With already one in five African children working in 2016, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the continent is expected to push more children into child labour.
Estimates show one percentage point increase in poverty leads to an increase of at least 0.7 percentage points in child labour.
"The overall situation is of great concern to families, employers and workers in Africa," the ILO said.
“We must protect children’s rights and encourage their return to school. The African Union’s 10-year plan of action must be implemented at all levels to foster the continent’s development and protect children’s rights," said Guy Ryder, ILO Director-General.
Child labour has been described as complex in Africa which requires various types of solutions.
These solutions are either existing or envisaged, ranging from access to quality education for all, access to social protection, access to decent work for adults and extending the coverage of basic services and awareness raising.
Cynthia Samuel-Olonjuwon, ILO Assistant Director-General and Regional Director for Africa, said there were indications that African countries were prepared to fight against child labour.
The ILO appealed to governments, social partners and other organizations to allocate the necessary budgets to implement the key policy priorities identified.
“This should not be seen as a cost. It is an investment. An investment in creating a better future for all,” she said.
Sharing her experience, Dibou Faye, a child labour activist from Senegal, called on stakeholders to redouble efforts in tackling child labour in communities for a brighter future.
“I have been working since I was 7 years old, I never went to school and at the age of 13 a husband was chosen for me. Today, children without education means a society without evolution; child labour destroys dreams, stifles talents and increases poverty,” she said.
The event brought together Ministers responsible for Labour and Social Protection in Africa, representatives of regional economic commissions, continental bodies such as the AU Commissions, and the Pan-African Parliament.
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