TO mark the occasion of World Day Against Child Labour, which was observed on June 12, the Department of Education in Region 6 held a rally, yesterday, to sensitize the public about the adverse effects of child labour. The Region 6 rally commenced at Main and New Streets, New Amsterdam and culminated at the St. Aloysius Primary School, where children from various schools in New Amsterdam were addressed by education and health officials and a representative from the Region 6 Department of Labour.

It was noted that a large number of children globally are already involved in domestic work before they reach the minimum age for admission to employment. While young workers who have reached the required minimum legal age may undertake domestic work, international standards require that special attention is given to children under the age of 18, so as to ensure that they are not exposed to hazardous working conditions.

Poverty
The main causes of child labour include poverty, unemployment, and excessive population. Among these, poverty is the primary cause of child labour.

According to surveys, poor families often make their small children a source of income by sending them to work in factories, shops and even forcing  them to engage in  street vending. Some parents also carry infants on the streets to earn money from begging.

 Challenge
Childhood is the most innocent stage in human life. It is that phase of life where a child is free from all the tensions and can afford to be fun-loving and to  play and learn new things. But this is only one side of the reality. The other side is one that’s full of tensions and burdens where children are only seen as the source of income for poor families, and this is called child labour. And eliminating child labour is one of the biggest challenges that the world is facing.

According to statistics provided by UNICEF, there are an estimated 250 million children aged 5 to 14 years, employed in child labour worldwide and this figure continues to increase.
Child labour is not only affecting under-developed and developing countries, but developed countries as well.

Stop Child Labour
“Child labour is not work experience, it is exploitation. Every child has the right to a childhood,” were the chants during the Region 6 rally.

The main focus of the rally was to make the public aware of several things – Children under the age of 15 should not be employed, they should not be absent from school to earn money, their lives should not be endangered to earn money and they are entitled to rest and play in order to focus on academic development.

It was noted too, that while children should be encouraged to do light chores at home they should not be coerced into operating machines, lifting heavy weights and handling sharp-edged tools.
It was also highlighted that children who are forced into labour at an early age, are introduced to improper adult behaviour which may affect proper emotional and social development. Collectively, everyone was urged to rally against child labour.