Roadshow to raise child labour issues

 By ELIZABETH MIAE

THE International Labour Organisation (ILO), through the Department of Labour and Industrial Relations, will run the second phase of a roadshow to advocate on child labour issues. 

This follows the successful first phase that was organised in April-May in several provinces. 

The second phase will run from June 23 to July 19 in Western Highlands, Eastern Highlands, Morobe, Madang and West and East New Britain. 

ILO national coordinator Richard Samuel said the second phase would  focus on providing support to the provinces to establish their provincial child labour committees. 

“Given the increasing abuse of children and the violation of their basic human rights, the provincial child labour committee concept was initiated by the provincial stakeholders to ensure the application of measures to protect children’s rights trickle right down to the communities,” Samuel said. 

“The setting up of the provincial child labour committees is seen as a direct positive step to address child labour issues and challenges.”

Samuel said the committees would tie up awareness and promotional packages on child labour, as well as form partnerships and resource mobilisation to address issues through a united provincial front. 

He said other provinces would be attended to before the end of the year through similar roadshows. 

The first phase of the road show was aimed at raising awareness and generating interest on child labour issues in the country. 

Meanwhile last month’s national action plan forum in Port Moresby noted the absence of a national child labour policy.