Nepal calls for multi-pronged approach key to solve child labour problem, ILO launches global campaign to end child labour

Nepal has asked to deal the problem of child labour through multi-pronged approach.

Poverty, hunger, gender inequality, lack of access to the education, social insecurity, and lack of decent work for parents among others are the root causes for compelling children to go to a work, said labour and employment minister Hari Parsad Neupane addressing the high level plenary session of the III Global Conference on Child Labour held in Brasilia today.

Nepal, on the occasion also shared Nepal’s views and best practices in eliminating the worst form of child labour.

“Nepal has already prohibited use of child labour and bonded labour including  Kamalaris system – working girl as domestic workers in consideration for debts borrowed by the parents – Neupane, who is leading the Nepali team, said, on the occasion.

Nepal took special measures to curb the child labour problem in recent years by rescuing and reintegrating children from hazardous sectors, he said, highlighting that Nepal has implemented several policies, periodic plans, programmes and action plans like the child policy and National Master Plan on Child Labour(2011-2020) to address the problem of child labour in a planned manner. “Child labour is not a phenomenon to be dealt with in isolation but it is both a cause and consequence of poverty and low levels of social welfare.”
Nepal has implemented School Sector Reform Programme and Education for all programme, which have supported in increasing enrolment of children, and contributed in reducing child labour.
Likewise the government has also implemented Child friendly Local Governance (CFLG), and Child outreach programme to eradicate child labour from the country.

Nepal reiterated its commitment to the international initiatives enacting in its policy and divising appropriate strategies and approaches to achieve the targets set forth in eliminating worst forms of child labour and other form of child labour.

Similarly, ILO director-general Guy Ryder on the occasion, announced a global mobilisation campaign to help end child labour.

The ‘Red Card to Child Labour,’ campaign was announced at the closing of the third Global Conference on Child Labour in Brasilia and already has the support of world-famous artists such as Oscar-winning actor and singer, Cher.
The ILO launched the first Red Card campaign in 2002, to raise public awareness of child labour. Eight years later, the second Global Conference on Child Labour that took place in The Hague committed to eliminating the worst forms of child labour by 2016. While the number of child labourers across the world has dropped by a third to 168 million over the last decade, progress has been too slow. The 152 countries that participated in the third conference that just ended in Brasilia have renewed their commitment to reach that target.
“The Red Card is a powerful image that is easily recognisable across the world as a warning that something is wrong and must stop,” said the ILO chief. “As we redouble our efforts to eradicate child labour, the support of Cher as well as other famous artists and athletes is a vital way of mobilising our global society so that together we can rid the world of child labour,” he said, adding that there are 168 million reasons to do so.
Half the world’s child workers are trapped in the worst forms of child labour. They work in fields, mines and factories and many are sexually abused, exploited in the drug trade or forced to join armies and militias.
“The ILO is working to free millions of these children and they can use our help,” said Cher in a video message.
The ILO is the UN’s specialised agency for the world of work and has the world’s largest programme for the elimination of child labour. It has already helped free millions of children across the world.