JAKARTA (ILO News): The International Labour Organization (ILO) through its International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) is organizing an inauguration for ex-child labourers graduating from vocational training on sewing on Saturday, 12 March 2011, at the International Garment Training Centre (IGTC) in Bogor, West Java.

From 31 ex-child labourers and children at risk who were trained for six weeks from 1 February to 12March, 26 children graduated with flying colours. The inauguration also marks the organization of the second batch of training that will include 57 ex-child labourers for another six weeks from 14 March – 29 April.

One of the graduates, Pemi, a 16-year-old ex-child labourer, said that to get an education was always her dream. “I only went to elementary school because my family had no money to send me to middle school. After finishing this course, I want to become a designer,” she said.

These vocational trainings are conducted in collaboration with IGTC that has more than 10-year experience in providing similar trainings. The trainings are aimed to provide students with basic sewing techniques for the export oriented garment industry. Textile and garments are among the major contributors to the Indonesia’s exporting industries. In 2008, the exports reached USD 10 billion and the industry is Indonesia’s second largest employer with over 1.5 million workers.

Peter van Rooij, Country Director of the ILO in Indonesia, said that the importance of vocational training was also pointed out in ILO Convention 182 concerning the Prohibition and Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour, ratified by Indonesia. “Vocational training for ex-child labourers and at-risk children is a critical part of the effective integration of these children into society, by overcoming their disadvantages of lack in education and work skills. The skills gained from the training can also empower the children to protect themselves from hazardous work,” he said.

These vocational trainings are also supplemented with life skill education using the ILO’s Trainer’s Kit on Empowerment for Children, Youth and Families: Rights, Responsibilities and Representation – in short the 3-R Trainers’ Kit. The Kit was developed by the ILO and is used as a main resource for life skill education training. It is an interactive training tool which can be used for many different target groups: with children, youth, and families, and is especially needed for those at risk of social, economic, or sexual exploitation including child labourers.

The 3-R Kit contains 10 modules, starting from information and activities on self awareness and identity, and continues with human rights, problem solving and social skills, teenage relationships, health, and decision making as a worker, to list a few. Different from other training kits, in the 3-R Kit the trainers can choose appropriate subjects and activities according to the characteristics of the targeted group. Trainers can also modify the content to meet the needs of participants as the kit exercises are designed for three different age groups: children from 10-14 years old, youth from 15-24 years old, and adults aged 25 years and older.

In addition, the sewing training is one of various vocational and skill trainings conducted by ILO-IPEC in partnership with its implementing agencies. ILO-IPEC has collaborated with the Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration to provide vocational training for ex-child labourers through Government Vocational Training Centres (BLK). ILO-IPEC assists the Manpower Ministry in adapting curriculum and modules on skills training according to the needs of ex-child labourers and in training BLK tutors for effective implementation of the trainings.

For further information please contact:

Ms Arum Ratnawati
National Chief Technical Adviser of the ILO-IPEC
Tel.: +6221 391 3112 ext. 122
Email

Gita Lingga
Media Relations Officer
Tel.: +6221 3913112 ext. 115
Email