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ECLT Foundation to mark World Day Against Child Labour

 

The ECLT Foundation, an international, multi-stakeholder alliance of tobacco unions, growers and companies that seeks to eliminate child labour in tobacco-growing, is urging everyone to support and raise awareness for the celebrations for the World Day Against Child Labour (WDACL) on 12th June. ECLT, which currently supports projects in Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda, tackles child labour by:

  • Funding projects with a range of holistic interventions
  • Undertakes research to ascertain the extent and depth of child labour
  • Shares good practices so that expertise can be built upon.

Coalescing around the theme of “Human rights and social justice…let’s end child labour,” the celebrations – led by ILO-IPEC since 2002 and an official adviser to the ECLT – will this year highlight:

  • Universal ratification of the ILO’s Conventions on child labour, particularly: C138 on Minimum Age for work and C182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour 
  • The need for the implementation of legal and regulatory obligations by national governments to ensure effective progress in the elimination of child labour
  • The requirements for action to build the worldwide movement against child labour.

The ECLT, which last year celebrated its tenth anniversary, has supported projects in seven countries: Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Mozambique, the Philippines, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. ECLT projects have withdrawn over 18,000 children from child labour and prevented several thousand more from entering child labour. But as the root causes of child labour are complex and long-term, ECLT has also supported children and families with interventions covering education, health, income-generating activities, awareness-raising and national and local capacity-building.

Activities by ECLT-funded projects for this year’s WDACL, which will take place on or just after 12th June, include the following:

  • In Malawi, our CLEAR project, which at $US 8 million is the largest single investment to combat child labour in agriculture in that country, will complement presentations and a speech by the minister for Labour with traditional drama performances by adults and children, as well as disseminating awareness-raising materials such as brochures, T-shirts and posters
  • In Tanzania, our PROSPER project, which at $US 4.75 million is also the largest single investment to combat child labour in agriculture in that country, will also have a varied agenda, including: traditional dances by adults and children in front of an audience of almost 1,000, a speech by the Regional Commissioner for Tabora and a football game by primary school pupils
  • In Kyrgyzstan, the Elimination of Child Labour in Tobacco Growing in Kyrgyzstan project is organising a drawing competitions in over fifty schools in Nookat and Alabuka districts as well as a special sports competition for children with a theme of “No Child Labour in Tobacco Growing” at which awareness-raising materials such as T-shirts and posters will be distributed.
  • In Uganda, our COMEECA project will hold a public discussion on the challenges of child labour and launch its new report "Community Economic Enterprises Development Programme" which is envisaged will cover 6,000 farming households

Commenting, Sonia Velazquez, Executive Director of ECLT Foundation said:

“The ECLT Foundation urges everyone to support 2012 World Day Against Child Labour. ECLT’s projects not only give children the education and skills they need for a better future but also tackle the wider causes of child labour in tobacco-growing.   The projects we support demonstrate that reducing child labour happens when concerted efforts  are in place.  We support coalitions of employers, workers, government,  and tobacco growers, and we work with community organizations that take action and protect their children. Our work also seeks to provide the evidence behind these gains and to use the right channels to inform public policy.  There is much to do, but we don’t lose sight that each and every child has the right to a childhood free of exploitation ”.

(Source: ECLT Foundation)

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07 June 2012