“Too many children have lives profoundly affected by the fact that instead of going to school they have to go to work,” said Guy Ryder, ITUC general secretary. “Effort must be made by all, with governments, employers, unions and others all playing their part,“ he added.
To fight against child labour, the guide gives advice on issues such as using collective bargaining, participation in tripartite dialogue, promoting international labour standards, joining the Global March Against Child Labour and the Global Trade Union Alliance to Combat Forced Labour and Trafficking, and campaigning for the ratification and implementation of the ILO Conventions No. 138 and No.182.
The ITUC is closely linking its work in the Global March Against Child Labour and the newly-emerging Global Trade Union Alliance to Combat Forced Labour and Trafficking. The ILO estimates that up to fifty percent of all forced labour victims worldwide are children. Increasingly, children are becoming forced child labourers as a result of human trafficking.
Children in in-house domestic work, in rural agriculture or isolated estates, in mining, brick making, textiles and fisheries are particularly vulnerable to this “worst form of child labour” as specified in ILO Convention 182.
On this World Day Against Child Labour, the ITUC shares the serious concerns with the ILO about the increased risk that the reconstruction of Burma will involve further use of child labour, forced labour, human trafficking, and military recruitment of children. Despite the fact that Burma officially made human trafficking illegal in September 2005, trafficking is still a serious problem in the country.
A particular concern is the possibility that displaced and orphaned children will be pushed into forced labour, as traffickers will target displaced people and women and children who have lost their families. Unaccompanied or separated children are easily deceived by promises of safety and a better place to live, and “brokers” are reportedly recruiting children in shelters already.
International Trade Union Confederation
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