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Political will and partnerships are key to ending child labor, says ILO Joni Musabayana – Global issues

It will take commitment and strong political will to end child labor in Africa, said Dr Joni Musabayana, Director of the International Labor Organization (ILO).  Credit: Fawzia Moodley / IPS
It will take commitment and strong political will to end child labor in Africa, said Dr Joni Musabayana, Director of the International Labor Organization (ILO). Credit: Fawzia Moodley / IPS
  • by Fawzia Moodley (durban)
  • Joint press service

Speaking to IPS in an exclusive interview at the 5th Global Conference on Eliminating Child Labor in Durban, Musabayana remains optimistic despite the increase in child labor worldwide. International efforts to end the disaster are under pressure to achieve the United Nations target of ending child labor by 2025.

Musabayana also spoke about the Durban Call to Action – which is expected to be ratified by the end of the conference.

“It’s not so much about legal binding but rather motivating to advance efforts to solve a problem using good practice.”

Musabayana says Africa’s substantial senior-level delegation is a good sign for the continent, which bears the heaviest burden of child labor.

“It is agreed that of the 160 million child laborers, 92 million are in the African continent. Voter turnout of 60% to 70% of African delegates, just come, shows their commitment to redouble efforts to tackle this scourge. “

The main drivers of child labor in Africa are agriculture, bonded labor on farms, mining, fishing, child sexual exploitation and domestic and informal work.

“You need multiple stakeholders and an integrated approach. This involves not only government, but leadership as well because the fundamental pillars of addressing child labor are mainly access to free education, food programs for children, etc. children and child support allowance.

“These are policy tools where South Africa is showing leadership. Other African countries are following suit and they are guiding us on what needs to be done.”

Political will and partnerships are key to ending child labor.

“What we need is the additional political will, which we hope this conference will generate, to ensure that these programs are well-resourced, implemented and monitored,” Musabayana said. good.

“Partnerships must be established with civil society, employers that employ child labor and unions that work with these children.”

He encouraged the media to expose cases of child labor, “if I could say ‘name and shame’ those who continue to commit this heinous act.”

On the issue of global supply chains, he said: “We are delighted that the CEOs of Nestle and Cocoa Cola have accompanied us and other large enterprises. (Importantly, they do not find it acceptable to source products and services created and facilitated through child labor.

However, speaking is not enough.

“It is not enough to make this point, but it is important to cut off child labor from accessing goods and services related to the value chain.”

“Most importantly is the end consumer, whether in China or the US or really the African continent or Europe,” adds Musabayana. I think everyone is against products and services that use child labor, and we need to be clear about what products are on the market and why the end consumer should separate themselves from them. “.

It emerged that many child laborers were working for their own families. Musabayana blamed this on poverty, saying no parent was “ready to say I would send my child to work on a farm that uses toxic chemicals”.

The ILO therefore seeks social protection for vulnerable families “to ensure that no one falls below a certain level of human survival”.

It also supports social benefits and basic income subsidies.

“These are policy tools to ensure that families are not starved and needy to the point where they feel the need to use children to increase family income.”

But where will the money come from?

“Obviously, the affordability of social security packages is a necessary debate, but we will always start by saying that if you think having a social protection plan is expensive , try the alternative.

“What kind of society will we have? We’ve got a pretty unequal society, and then what if we don’t take clear measures to ensure that the people at the bottom of the pyramid have a good life? ,” Musabayana questioned.

Earlier this week Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi told the conference that the estimated cost of a social protection package for all children is US$53 billion per year.

Regarding the relative living wage, Musabayana said: “The ILO has supported the concept of a national minimum wage and the principle of collective bargaining so that working people must negotiate with their employers to What is the agreement on fair remuneration?

The ILO also supports the country’s living wage. But Musabayana says it has to be done responsibly: “We have to take a gradual approach to make it affordable and the businesses that are supposed to bear this cost can still make a profit.” profit because we must not kill the goose that lays the golden eggs. ”

“I don’t think we should give up right now and raise our hands in the air. So to speak, we have to make sure that by 2025 – we’ve accelerated, we’ve eliminated many children, but more importantly, we have to make sure no more children enter young labor you”.

© Inter Press Service (2022) – All rights reservedOrigin: Inter Press Service

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