Network advocates ratification of ILO convention 189
Global March Against Child Labour, a Worldwide network of Trade Unions, has called on world leaders and governments to adopt the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) Convention 189 on decent work for domestic worker.
The convention aims to bring measures to protect children and adults by providing domestic workers with the basic labour rights.
A statement issued in Accra on Wednesday by Mr Andrews Addoquaye Tagoe, Anglophone African Coordinator for Global March said it required specific steps to eliminate child labour in domestic work and to protect those children who could work legally, by setting a minimum age for domestic work in line with existing ILO conventions.
It was also to ensure that work by children above that age does not deprive them of compulsory education.
“The recommendation accompanying the Convention gives important additional guidance in protecting the rights of child domestic workers,” it added.
The statement said the world was on track towards missing most of the deadlines for international commitment of Millennium Development Goals and national commitments for a better future for children.
It said world leaders, governments and the larger society have failed in their commitments made to 215 million children engaged as child labourers.
It said these children were exploited because they generally have no social or legal protection, and thereby suffering harsh working conditions.
It said ratifying ILO Convention 189 and putting into place laws to enforce it should be at the top of national agendas.
The statement called on governments to make urgent efforts to ensure quality education for all children and decent work for their parents.
It said the network is organizing a campaign aimed at increasing awareness about the extent and seriousness of the problem of child labour to the economy of the world, which would include legal measures, capacity building and coordinated action, rehabilitation programmes, and direct interventions to protect child domestic workers.
Source: GNA