Consultation on National Child Labour Policy begins

The Social Protection Ministry through the Department of Labour has finally begun consulting stakeholders on the National Child Labour Policy.
Members of the Public Sector, Private Sector, religious groups, and other organisations were involved in a discussion where recommendations were made on various areas the policy should cover.
The consultations also included representatives from the Ministry’s Child Care and Protection Agency, Trafficking in Persons Department, Gender Affairs Bureau, and Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Policy Unit.
Assistant Chief Labour Officer Karen Vansluytman-Corbin explained that in keeping with Convention 138 and 182 of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), which deal with minimum age and address the worst forms of child labour respectively, the Government has several key pieces of legislation in place to combat forms of child labour, such as the employment of young children.
The Department will continue meeting with stakeholders across the country to discuss their opinions and concerns about what should be included in the policy.

When the policy is completed, a national action plan will be put in place.
Additionally, institutional mechanisms for the enforcement of laws and regulations against child labour were established and all key international conventions concerning the issues ratified.
According to the United States Department of Labour, “In 2016, Guyana made a moderate advancement in efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labour.
The Government reformed the Inter-Ministerial Taskforce on Combating Trafficking in Persons, began developing a National Action Plan and Policy on Child Labour, and finalised the 2017–2018 National Action Plan on Combating Trafficking in Persons.