Kailash – The noble prize winner, Kailash Satyarthi, is joined by some students and traditional authorities to launch the Campaign Against Child Labour
A GROUP OF civil society organisations have come together to fight child labour and marginalization in Africa and to ensure that all children are free, safe, and have access to quality education.
They are seeking the eradication of every form of violence, abuse, slavery, early child marriages and sex-exploitation that are detrimental to the child’s development.
The African Regional Office of Education International (EIRAF), Regional Coordination of Global March Against Child Labour, the Ghana Agriculture Workers Union (GAWU), the Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition (GNECC) in collaboration with Kailash Styarthi Children’s Foundation (KSCF) have launched the ‘100 Million Campaign’ to kick start the advocacy.
The Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Ignatius Baffuor Awuah, speaking at the launch held at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC), said children are not supposed to be seen at work space and it is the responsibility of society to make sure children stay in school.
“Eradicating child labour is crucial because they have the right to grow as children, be in good health, stay in school and be prevented from situations that expose them to hazards”.
According to him, government has introduced social protection and economic empowerment interventions to support the less privileged families to help improve their living conditions and to prevent them from forcing their children into child labour.
“Despite the Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE), the Free Senior High School, the School Feeding Program and the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) interventions, there is more to be done to see the total eradication of the menace”.
Kailash Styarthi the 2014 Noble Peace Award winner said the 100 million campaign is aimed at global mobilization of young people and society to end violence against children, eradicate child labour and ensure their education.
“Child labour should be seen as a crime against humanity and an injustice against the children’s freedom and safety”, he said.
He therefore called on Africans to direct their energy and resources towards the eradication of child labour by giving them the deserved education and the chance to champion the real development expected in Africa in the near future.
Representatives from sister African countries participated in the program.
By Emmanuel Kubi