June 12 marks the commemoration of World Against Child Labour. It also marks the adoption of the landmark International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention No. 182, which addresses the need for action to tackle the worst forms of child labour. Botswana as a signatory to the ILO instruments commemorated the day at the Molepolole stadium last Friday.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs, the commemoration was also meant to build onto a multifaceted and comprehensive strategy for the elimination of child labour by 2016. “The event is thus a crucial awareness raising drive as well as a public education initiative about what constitutes child labour, its existence in Botswana, its nature and how it can be collaboratively eradicated”.
As a result the ministry in partnership with Botswana Federation of Trade Unions (BFTU) and Botswana Confederation of Commerce, Industry and Manpower (BOCCIM) hosted the day in a bid to urge the public to be on the guard against possible incidents of child labour in the country.
The theme for this year is, “GO FOR THE GOAL, END CHILD LABOUR” and was crafted from the framework of the FIFA 2010 WORLD CUP as a reminder that in support of the event, social ills that can befall children should not be forgotten.
The day comes just one month after a major Global Conference on Child Labour is to be held in the Netherlands, the first event of its kind for more than 10 years. The World Day will provide an early opportunity for national and local activities to follow up on the momentum generated by the global conference and to scale up the worldwide movement to tackle child labour.
