New GOJ/ ILO /EC project on child labour launched in Jamaica
A new three-year project to tackle child labour through education (TACKLE) has been launched in Jamaica. The project will be implemented by the Government, social partners and other stakeholders under the auspices of the International Labour Organization with financial support from the European Commission.
PORT OF SPAIN (News) - A new three-year project to tackle child labour through education (TACKLE) has been launched in Jamaica. The project will be implemented by the Government, social partners and other stakeholders under the auspices of the International Labour Organization with financial support from the European Commission. The Ministry of Labour and Social Security and the Ministry of Education will be the lead ministries in this project.
The official launch and signing of the Partnership Protocol took place on 5 February 2009 at the Terra Nova Hotel, Kingston. Signatories to the protocol were the Honourable Pearnel Charles, Minister of Labour and Social Security; Honourable Andrew Holness, Minister of Education; Ambassador Marco Mazzocchi Alemanni, Delegation of the European Commission in Jamaica, and Dr. Ana Teresa Romero, Director, ILO Subregional Office for the Caribbean.
The project builds on earlier initiatives in the field of child labour and will be reinforced by ongoing activities by the Government of Jamaica, the social partners, civil society organizations, and other UN system entities.
The parties to the Protocol will work towards the shared goal of improving action against child labour through education, particularly in respect of girls and other vulnerable groups across the following areas:
The official launch and signing of the Partnership Protocol took place on 5 February 2009 at the Terra Nova Hotel, Kingston. Signatories to the protocol were the Honourable Pearnel Charles, Minister of Labour and Social Security; Honourable Andrew Holness, Minister of Education; Ambassador Marco Mazzocchi Alemanni, Delegation of the European Commission in Jamaica, and Dr. Ana Teresa Romero, Director, ILO Subregional Office for the Caribbean.
The project builds on earlier initiatives in the field of child labour and will be reinforced by ongoing activities by the Government of Jamaica, the social partners, civil society organizations, and other UN system entities.
The parties to the Protocol will work towards the shared goal of improving action against child labour through education, particularly in respect of girls and other vulnerable groups across the following areas:
- The achievement of education Millennium Development Goals;
- Strengthening the legal frameworks on child labour and education;
- Strengthening institutional capacity to formulate and implement child labour strategies;
- Carrying out targeted actions to combat child labour; and
- Improving advocacy and dissemination of good practices to enhance the knowledge base and networks on child labour and education.
Jamaica is one of two CARICOM Member States that will benefit from the European Commission-funded TACKLE project. Guyana's TACKLE project was launched in October 2008.
Jamaica has ratified ILO Convention No. 138 on the Minimum Age for Employment, and ILO Convention No. 182, on the Worst Forms of Child Labour.