GENEVA (ILO News) - Youssou Ndour - the internationally acclaimed musician, singer and songwriter - was today named Honorary Ambassador of the ILO Global Campaign Against Child Labour. Mr. Ndour, of Senegal, received the award in appreciation of his commitment towards raising public awareness in the worldwide struggle against child labour.
ILO Director-General Juan Somavia cited Mr. Ndour's longtime commitment to human rights and hailed Mr. Ndour for agreeing to represent the important cause of eliminating the worst forms of child labour. Mr. Ndour pledged his continued support and advocacy for the campaign. Mr. Ndour's music video, "My Hope is in You", already has become an integral part of the ILO's campaign for ratification of a new international convention to ban exploitative child labour.
The ceremony, held during a meeting of the ILO's Governing Body, is part of a series of worldwide activities organized by the ILO to mark the entry into force of the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention No. 182. The Convention, adopted unanimously by the International Labour Conference in June of 1999, comes into force on 19 November 2000, one year to the day after receiving its second ratification. 1
To date, over 40 2 of the ILO's 175 member States - or 25 per cent of the Organization's total membership - have ratified the Convention, more ratifications than any other Convention in a comparable time during the Organization's 81-year history. The Convention defines the worst forms of child labour as slavery, debt bondage, prostitution, pornography, forced recruitment of children for armed forces, use of children in drug trafficking and other illicit activities, and all other work harmful or hazardous to the health and safety of children.
At the ceremony, Mr. Ndour's music video, "My Hope is in You" about children around the world was played and Mr. Ndour received a miniature statue that is a replica of the sculpture on the ILO's grounds, "From Exploitation to Education" created by Geneva artist Laurent-Dominique Fontana. The statue was erected in 1998 at the time of the International Labour Conference's initial approval of the new child labour Convention.
On ratifying this ILO convention, a Member State becomes bound under international law to incorporate its provisions into national law and practice. Member governments must also take immediate and effective action to prohibit and eliminate the worst forms of child labour for all those under 18 years of age. Even where national legislation defines childhood as ending earlier, everyone up to 18 must be protected.
Youssou Ndour is a noted composer and performer of "mbalax", a complex blend of African, Caribbean and pop rhythms. He has long been considered one of the strongest social activists among major international entertainers, and has been involved for more than 10 years to a variety of humanitarian causes, especially children's rights.
Born in 1959 in Dakar, Senegal, Mr. Ndour has been performing since age 12. He gained international recognition accompanying Peter Gabriel on his 1986 hit single, "In Your Eyes". Besides Peter Gabriel, Mr. Ndour has performed with a number of other music superstars, including Sting, Lou Reed and Paul Simon, and in support of such organizations as Amnesty International, UNICEF and UNAIDS.
His albums/CDs include 1994 CD "The Guide" which sold more than 600,000 copies and was nominated for a Grammy award and Joko (2000), Dirty Linen (1994), Eyes Open (1992), Set (1990), and Lion (1989).
1 The Convention was adopted unanimously by the International Labour Conference (ILC) on 17 June 1999. It was ratified by the Government of the Seychelles on September 28, 1999 and the Government of Malawi on November 19, 1999, which triggered a procedure under ILO Conventions come into force one year from the date of the second ratification.
2 Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Central African Republic, Chile, Denmark, Ecuador, El Salvador, Finland, Ghana, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Mexico, Nicaragua, Niger, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Portugal, Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, San Marino, Senegal, Seychelles, Slovakia, South Africa, Switzerland, Togo, Tunisia, United Kingdom, United States, Yemen.