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Child Labour Conference 2012 Recommendations from children. Background. We are a group of about 40 children who have been drawn from 11 districts of the country mostly affected with Child Labour in agriculture to take part in the National Conference on Child Labour in Agriculture
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Background • We are a group of about 40 children who have been drawn from 11 districts of the country mostly affected with Child Labour in agriculture to take part in the National Conference on Child Labour in Agriculture • We have worked together for the past 4 days in our own workshop to discuss child labour and its consequences on our lives in order to identify viable solutions to overcome the problem in the country
Background cont’d • At the end of our deliberations, we have come up with recommendations which we present to you for consideration by all stakeholders to address the problem of Child Labour which is affecting our lives as children • We now sincerely seek your attention to the presentation and hope you will act on them accordingly.
Our Recommendations 1. As Children: • We will report cases of child labour to our local leaders, parents or the nearest police stations or others who can offer assistance • We will form child rights clubs to advocate child rights in our communities • We will take appropriate action when we see children involved in child labour • We will say NO to child labour in exercise of our rights
Our Recommendations cont’d 2. For parents: • They should provide physical, emotional, social and spiritual support to us children • They should empower us children to make sound decisions against engaging in child labour • They should report cases of child labour where they can obtain assistance like the police and labour office
Our Recommendations cont’d 3. For our local leaders • They should give stiffer penalties to those that are practicing child labour • They should provide civic education to people on the effects of child labour on children • They should form child rights clubs to advocate to people on child rights • They should enact and enforce by-laws to address child labour in their areas. For example, each TA should develop own by-laws to address child labour in their areas
Our Recommendations cont’d 4. For Ministry of Agriculture • They should provide civic education to farmers to address child labour in agriculture • They should develop and enforce appropriate policies to address child labour in agriculture
Our Recommendations cont’d 5. For Ministry of Education: • They should ensure that children are provided with adequate learning materials to remain in school • They should provide civic education to parents and children on importance of school to address child labour • They should increase bursaries for children who go into child labour due to poverty
Our Recommendations cont’d For Ministry of Education cont’d • They should reintroduce the Kamuzu Academy Scholarship Scheme to increase the opportunity to produce more role models
Our Recommendations cont’d 6. For Ministry of Labour: • They should address rising cases of corruption by perpetrators of child labour in the delivery of justice in the courts, police and labour offices • They should advocate with MPs to revise the law that defines the minimum age for employment from the current 14 years • They should raise awareness to employers and employees on laws addressing child labour
Our Recommendations cont’d Ministry of Labour cont’d • They should engage Labour Inspectors to identify perpetrators of child labour in the country and bring them to book • They should seek increased government funding and personnel to address child labour • They should identify and rescue children from child labour and take them back to school.
Our Recommendations cont’d 7. For Ministry of Gender • They should conduct sensitization and training in the communities on effects of child labour on children’s lives • They should conduct sensitization in the communities on child rights and the child protection law • They should strengthen implementation of child protection structures at national, district and community level
Our Recommendations cont’d 8. For companies and employers • They should develop and enforce policies and laws to address child labour • They should provide more civic education and training to farmers and local leaders to realize the effects of child labour on children
Our Recommendations cont’d 9. For employee representatives (Trade Unions) • They should sensitize employers and workers to realize the effects of child labour on children • They should advocate for policies and laws to address child labour in companies • They should report cases of child labour to authorities for redress
Our Recommendations cont’d 10. For farmers’ Associations • They should provide more civic education and training to farmers and local leaders to realize the effects of child labour on children • They should advocate for strengthening of policies and laws to address child labour • They should report cases of child labour to authorities for redress
Our Recommendations cont’d 11. For Non Governmental Organizations • They should provide more civic education and training to farmers and local leaders to realize the effects of child labour on children • They should participate in searching and rescuing children from child labour situations and helping them to resettle
Our Recommendations cont’d 12. For Development Partners or Donors • They should participate in monitoring if rights of children are being respected apart from providing financial resources to address child labour • They should strengthen the capacity of government institutions like the police and Ministry of Labour to address child labour more effectively
Our Recommendations cont’d 13. Proposed changes that should be effected in the laws of Malawi to address Child Labour in agriculture? • Government should develop more stringent laws to curb child labour because so far the existing laws are not helping to curb the situation.
Conclusion • In conclusion, we would like to sincerely thank the Malawi Government and its partners for inviting us to participate in this important conference • We urge you all to continue involving us in such activities and forums that seek to address issues that affect our lives.
