Labour Minister seeks global campaign to end child labour

Labor Minister Moses Kollie is calling for global campaign to end child labour and improve safety for employees in work places. He stresses that children have rights to be free from all forms of child labour and workers also have right to be safe and healthy at workplaces.

He made the call here Tuesday at celebration of World Day Against Child Labour organized by the Ministry of Labor in collaboration with Winrock International. In 2002, the International Labour Organization (ILO) launched the World Day Against Child Labour to help combat the rampant amount of child labor being utilized all over the world.

Record also shows that the ILO did so when it discovered just how many children all over the world not only work in hazardous environments but are forced to do so. According to Child Labour Statistics, percentage of children between five and 14 reportedly engaged in some forms of child labor varies based on geographical location.

Minister Kollie emphasizes that children have right to be free from all forms of child labour and workers too have right to a safe and healthy workplace. He points out that globally, 541 million young workers age 15, account for 15 percent of the world’s labour force.

He indicates that they sustain up to 40 percent more non-fatal occupational injuries than do about workers older than 24 and workplace hazards can even pose threat to their lives.

The Labour boss stresses that an estimated 152 million children around the world are child labour of whom 73 million perform work which is hazardous because of its nature or circumstances in which it is carried out.

“Many factors contribute to hazardous child labour and the high rate of work-related injury and ill health among children and young workers; what is certain is that much more can be done.”

He says Liberia, as a member of the ILO is committed to fighting against child labour, adding that Liberia accelerates this effort by the development of National Action Plan (NAP) document which is addressing child labour issues in the country.

He notes the document which is to be shortly endorsed by the cabinet is a mainstream tool for implementation. The former lawmaker explains the NAP document requires renewed commitment and integrated approaches to eliminating child labour and promoting a culture of prevention on occupational safety and health, particularly for young workers.