Child labour

Norway funds new ILO project to combat child labour in Lebanon

A new Norwegian-funded ILO project will work to withdraw hundreds of Lebanese and Syrian children from hazardous working conditions and protect thousands of others from engaging in especially the worst forms of child labour.

Press release | 25 August 2016
BEIRUT, Lebanon (ILO News) - The ILO and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs signed an agreement to launch a project to combat the worst forms of child labour among Syrian refugees in Lebanon, and among local Lebanese communities hosting the refugees.

The new project will work to prevent thousands of Syrian and Lebanese girls and boys from engaging in the worst forms of child labour.

It will also specifically work to withdraw hundreds of Syrian and Lebanese girls and boys aged 5-13 from highly exploitative work in the agricultural sector and in street-based work.

This will take place through concrete actions such as withdrawing children from hazardous and exploitative workplaces, and placing them in community rehabilitation centres where they will receive social counselling, education and recreational services, as well as working with local authorities and NGOs to provide their families with livelihoods.

The Norwegian government pledged 6 million Norwegian Kroner (equivalent to US$ 728,332) to fund the one-year project, which will also launch nation-wide awareness campaigns on the dangers and risks of the worst forms of child labour.

“Every child should have a safe childhood and be able to go to school and build his or her future. To achieve this, it is immensely important both to prevent and to withdraw children from child labour,” said Ane Jørem, chargé d’affaires a.i. from the Norwegian Embassy in Beirut.

“We are very proud to support the ILO and this intervention. It will build on partnerships with the Government of Lebanon, businesses, the agricultural industry, civil society, parents and, of course, children,” Jørem added during the signing ceremony at the ILO Regional Office for Arab States in Beirut on 25 August.

ILO Regional Director for Arab States Ruba Jaradat said: “The arrival of large numbers of refugees fleeing the war in Syria has caused a rise in child labour in neighbouring Lebanon, affecting both Syrian refugee and Lebanese host-community children.”

“In this project, the support of the Norwegian Government will allow the ILO to further implement its methods to promote policy reform, raise awareness, build institutional capacity and put in place concrete measures that will directly support the withdrawal and rehabilitation of children working in the worst forms of child labour,” added Jaradat at the ceremony.

The ILO project will build the capacity of government institutions, NGOs, practitioners and families to combat exploitative forms of child labour.

It will work with authorities and organizations to implement integrated and effective responses to fight child labour, especially its worst forms. This includes providing vulnerable households with livelihood opportunities, withdrawing children from the workplace and placing them in rehabilitation centres where they can receive educational, psycho-social, recreational and nutritional services.

The project will also use training workshops and awareness-raising campaigns to inform children, parents, community members, employers, NGOs, the media and policy makers of the dangers of child labour, especially its worst forms.

It will focus its activities in the areas of Ouazi, Kahale, the Beqaa and South Lebanon, covering different sectors of child labour especially in agriculture and on the streets.

The ILO defines the worst forms of child labour as work that is likely to harm the health, safety and morals of children. It also includes work where children are victims of illicit activities such as forced labour, prostitution, armed conflict and drug trafficking.