Freebees assist in resolving child labour cases: Kumar
Over the last five years, around 199 child labour cases have been resolved by the Ministry of Employment Opportunities, Productivity and Industrial Relations. Assistant Director Labour Standards, Atish Kumar confirmed the 2011 to 2017 Fiji figures at the second last day of the Pacific Consultation Alliance 8.7 at Novotel Hotel in Nadi yesterday.
The outcome of this regional forum drafted by the 11 participants from the region is expected to be tabled at the IV Global Conference on the Sustained Eradication of Child Labour in Buenos Aires, Argentina from November 14-16 this year.
“All the children involved in these cases have been sent back to school, with Government’s new initiatives like free education and free bus fare for children means that there should not be any excuses for children not be sent to school,” Mr Kumar said. Mr Kumar told the forum that Fiji’s inspection standard on child labour issues was usually reviewed by experts from Germany and the United Kingdom. Ministry for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Assistant Director Child Services, Ela Tukutukulevu said there was a need for more awareness to direct people to the appropriate authority for assistance. Ms Tukutukulevu confirmed that following their social outreach programmes they learned that parents were using their children to solicit money from the public. She said that there was an urgent need for all stakeholders to address the problem from its source.
“Children are bearing their parents responsibilities, children are babysitting their younger siblings and sometimes children end up begging because of financial constraints at home,” she said.
“All children should be sent to school and not to be further exploited, there is a need to raise awareness on this issue.”
The workshop ends today.