Eradicating child labour requires collaboration from all – Persaud

…says pocket-money jobs, chores allowed, no adult work for children

Ahead of the global observance of World Day Against Child Labour on Monday, Human Services and Social Security Minister Dr Vindhya Persaud stressed the need for consistent efforts to eradicate child labour that involves not only recognising its signs but also reporting on it.
The Minister made this remark during the Labour Ministry’s annual walk on Friday to commemorate the upcoming World Day Against Child Labour, which this year is held under the theme “Social Justice for All – How to End Child Labour.”

“We can only stop child labour if everyone is involved, if everyone understands and if everyone’s involvement is of such magnitude that it involves not only recognising child labour where it exists but reporting on it – intervention. Once intervention happens, then there comes the process where work must be done with the child and with those persons who have employed the child or put the child into a forced labour situation,” Dr Persaud said.
Reporting – the responsibility of all citizens – can be done by contacting the relevant Ministries, according to Persaud who noted that the Human Services Ministry’s 914 hotline is one place to start.
Child labour, as described by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), is work that deprives children of their childhood, potential and dignity, and is harmful to their physical and mental development.
The ILO sets the general minimum age for admission to employment at 15 years and the minimum age for hazardous work at 18, though it may be 16 under certain strict conditions.
Persaud noted that Guyana has comprehensive legislation that address the rights of the child and what constitutes as child labour.
Echoing the ILO’s age limitations, the Employment of Children and Young People Act 1999 also strictly prohibits children from working in industrial services aboard ships and from working in night services.
“Where do we tend to see the highest propensity of child labour? We tend to see that happening in the hinterlands, in remote and rural communities. But in the urban areas, we find children very much in industrial services and we find them in places where they ought not to be,” Persaud said.
Meanwhile, she noted that the Convention on the Rights of the Child 1991 is another important piece of legislation that drives home the point that children have rights, though more efforts need to be made of informing children of said rights.
“While the Convention has been ratified, the question must be asked – how many children know of their rights? As we seek to tackle an issue that is serious, morally wrong and unlawful, I’d like to encourage our teachers to ensure that children are educated on their rights,” Persaud said.
“If we are to protect the rights and those persons who these rights relate to, those children must be very familiar themselves with what their rights are,” she added.
As such, she encouraged both children and teachers to participate in activities and seminars that highlight what the rights of the child are and how to uphold them.

Pocket money
Persaud added that there are positive forms of work that children above the minimum age of employment can still be involved in as it ensures they earn valuable life skills prior to entering the formal workforce.
These can include doing chores at home and earning pocket money while working part-time at a family business.
“Pocket money is allowed under the legislation. I’m not saying you can’t do that, but when it becomes the other thing and you are placed in an industry [or] entity where you are earning a salary like an adult and doing work that an adult should do, those are things that children should not be involved in,” Persaud said.
Meanwhile, Permanent Secretary at the Labour Ministry, Bishram Kuppen shared that this walk complements the Government’s comprehensive policy that strives to ensure the well-being of every child including the Because We Care cash grant, Grant for Each Child with Disability and National School Feeding programmes, among other initiatives.
Kuppen also urged employers to play an important part in the Government’s efforts to eradicate this scourge in society by opposing the use of child labour in businesses.
In June, the Ministry initiated a series of programmes aimed at 25 secondary schools around the country to educate students and teachers about child labour, and child labour inspections will be undertaken throughout the year.
Friday’s walk saw the participation of about 400 participants including students, teachers and representatives from the various Ministries as they began at Parliament Building and concluded at the Labour Ministry on Brickdam Street.
Throughout June, similar awareness walks will be held in Regions Four (Demerara-Mahaica), Five (Mahaica-Berbice), and Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).