By Staff Writer
The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour ‘MCIL’ has much to feel good about in the fight against child labour, since an international study blamed Samoa for abuse of young workers.
The MCIL upbeat reaction is at the celebration of World Day Against Child Labour 2020 today, Friday 12 June 2020.
Samoa’s good image took a beating when findings from a Bureau of International Labour Affairs 2018 report, claimed the “worst forms of child labour especially in the form of street vending” in the country.
But since then “…MCIL takes the lead in improving enforcement and relevant legislation to assist in combating exploitation of children in the formal sector.”
A statement by MCIL on the commemoration of the World Event pointed to programmes and decisions to “….improve child labour issues for the country” by working with other agencies.
The Ministry of Women Community and Social Development is involved as well as the International Labour Organisation in the collective effort.
However, the most serious worry this year is the global reach of the COVID-19 pandemic with health concerns, economic and social setbacks.
The focus on child labour this year is summed up under the encompassing theme “Children Should Now Be Protected More Than Ever.”
“Before the COVID-19 spread, almost 100 million children have been removed from child labour bringing down the number from 246 million in 2000 to 152 million in 2016 in accordance with ILO data,” a statement to highlight the occasion noted.
“However, this crisis brings about a possibility of greater risks for millions of vulnerable children into child labour.
“The pandemic can lead to disrupted education, family illness and the potential loss of household income especially in areas with absence of adequate social protection systems.”
Countries in Asia and the Pacific ranks the second highest in child labour confirming the notion that children found in worst forms of child labour are usually with the low-income countries.