World Day Against Child Labour 2013: Say no to child labour in domestic work in Makassar
The International Labour Organization (ILO) in Indonesia, in collaboration with Child Protection Board (LPA) of South Sulawesi, will join with governments, employers’ organizations, NGOs, and other key constituents, including child labourers, in organizing a provincial action against child domestic workers on Wednesday, 12 June 2013, from 09.00am – 11.00am, at Sudirman Street of Makassar, South Sulawesi. The street is one of the main streets of Makassar, surrounding the official residence of the Governor of South Sulawesi.
MAKASSAR (ILO News): The International Labour Organization (ILO) in Indonesia, in collaboration with Child Protection Board (LPA) of South Sulawesi, will join with governments, employers’ organizations, NGOs, and other key constituents, including child labourers, in organizing a provincial action against child domestic workers on Wednesday, 12 June 2013, from 09.00am – 11.00am, at Sudirman Street of Makassar, South Sulawesi. The street is one of the main streets of Makassar, surrounding the official residence of the Governor of South Sulawesi.
More than 150 participants, including ex-child labourers, from various organizations will conduct a public campaign, raising the awareness about the plight of child domestic workers and highlighting the efforts to eliminate child domestic workers. The action will conclude with the release of white doves by H.E. Mr Syahrul Yasin Limpo, Governor of South Sulawesi, and other relevant partners. The released doves symbolize freedom for all Indonesian children to reach out for their dreams and be free from exploitation.
The provincial action is part of the national action conducted on the same day in HI roundabouts Jakarta, in conjunction with the commemoration of the World Day Against Child Labour on 12th of June, under the theme: “No to Child Labour in Domestic Work”. In line with this year’s theme, these national and provincial actions mark the long journey and efforts in tackling child domestic workers related issues. The actions also mark the recent adoption of ILO Convention No. 189 on Decent Work for Domestic Workers, which addresses the need for action to set a minimum age for domestic workers which is essential for eliminating child labour in domestic works.
In addition, a media awareness raising activity is also conducted with local media partners of Makassar. An afternoon tea will be held at the Anging Mamiri Terrance of Makassar Golden Hotel. A child labour film will be screened, followed by a dialogue between mass media and relevant partners, including representatives from Provincial Manpower Office of Makassar, Child Protection Board (LPA), academia and the ILO. The event is aimed to raise the awareness of media organizations and journalists about issues related to domestic workers and child domestic workers. It is part of the national efforts to eliminate children engaged in domestic work.
Around the world, large numbers of children are engaged in paid or unpaid domestic work in the home of a third party or employer. Hidden from the public eye, these children can be particularly vulnerable to exploitation. The ILO estimates that there are 2.6 million domestic workers in Indonesia, of which 26 per cent are children under the age of 18 years old. The great majority of domestic workers are female, around 90 per cent, with low educational levels; they mainly come from poor families in rural communities.
Despite of the importance of the role of domestic workers, domestic work is still not recognized many countries, their employment relationship is not addressed in national labour laws or other legislation, denying them recognition as workers entitled to labour protection.
“It is vital that child domestic labour, so often neglected because exploitation and abuse takes place behind closed doors, receives attention,” says Peter van Rooij, Country Director of the ILO in Indonesia. “Therefore, on this World Day, it is important to call for policy responses to ensure the elimination of child labour in domestic work through, among others, providing quality education and skill training programmes and for the ratification of ILO Convention No. 189, complementing relevant ILO Child Labour Convention which had already ratified by Indonesia, to build actions against child labour and end child domestic work.”
The national action is one of the efforts taken by the ILO and its partners to promote awareness on child domestic workers. The action is part of the public campaign on promoting decent work for domestic workers and eliminating child domestic workers which will be conducted by the ILO and its partners throughout June 2013.
Other activities conducted in the campaign include, among others, social media campaign through facebook and twitter, public dialogue and seminar, media engagement, film screening, and theatre performance in five cities: Jakarta, Sukabumi, Surabaya, Lampung and Makassar.
The ILO is the United Nations agency dealing with work and workplace issues. The ILO has been actively calling for the elimination of child labour, in particular its worst forms, since 1992. Currently, the ILO has two programmes dealing with child labour issues: Decent Work for Domestic Workers to End Child Domestic Work (PROMOTE), funded by the United States Department of Labour (USDOL) and Combating Child Labour through Education Project, funded by the Government of Netherlands.
For further information, contact:
Ms Imelda Amelia Sibala
ILO-PROMOTE Project Coordinator for South Sulawesi
Tel. : +62215249809
Email
Ms Gita Lingga
ILO’s Media Relations Officer
Tel. : +6221 391 3112 ext. 115
Email
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The provincial action is part of the national action conducted on the same day in HI roundabouts Jakarta, in conjunction with the commemoration of the World Day Against Child Labour on 12th of June, under the theme: “No to Child Labour in Domestic Work”. In line with this year’s theme, these national and provincial actions mark the long journey and efforts in tackling child domestic workers related issues. The actions also mark the recent adoption of ILO Convention No. 189 on Decent Work for Domestic Workers, which addresses the need for action to set a minimum age for domestic workers which is essential for eliminating child labour in domestic works.
In addition, a media awareness raising activity is also conducted with local media partners of Makassar. An afternoon tea will be held at the Anging Mamiri Terrance of Makassar Golden Hotel. A child labour film will be screened, followed by a dialogue between mass media and relevant partners, including representatives from Provincial Manpower Office of Makassar, Child Protection Board (LPA), academia and the ILO. The event is aimed to raise the awareness of media organizations and journalists about issues related to domestic workers and child domestic workers. It is part of the national efforts to eliminate children engaged in domestic work.
Around the world, large numbers of children are engaged in paid or unpaid domestic work in the home of a third party or employer. Hidden from the public eye, these children can be particularly vulnerable to exploitation. The ILO estimates that there are 2.6 million domestic workers in Indonesia, of which 26 per cent are children under the age of 18 years old. The great majority of domestic workers are female, around 90 per cent, with low educational levels; they mainly come from poor families in rural communities.
Despite of the importance of the role of domestic workers, domestic work is still not recognized many countries, their employment relationship is not addressed in national labour laws or other legislation, denying them recognition as workers entitled to labour protection.
“It is vital that child domestic labour, so often neglected because exploitation and abuse takes place behind closed doors, receives attention,” says Peter van Rooij, Country Director of the ILO in Indonesia. “Therefore, on this World Day, it is important to call for policy responses to ensure the elimination of child labour in domestic work through, among others, providing quality education and skill training programmes and for the ratification of ILO Convention No. 189, complementing relevant ILO Child Labour Convention which had already ratified by Indonesia, to build actions against child labour and end child domestic work.”
The national action is one of the efforts taken by the ILO and its partners to promote awareness on child domestic workers. The action is part of the public campaign on promoting decent work for domestic workers and eliminating child domestic workers which will be conducted by the ILO and its partners throughout June 2013.
Other activities conducted in the campaign include, among others, social media campaign through facebook and twitter, public dialogue and seminar, media engagement, film screening, and theatre performance in five cities: Jakarta, Sukabumi, Surabaya, Lampung and Makassar.
The ILO is the United Nations agency dealing with work and workplace issues. The ILO has been actively calling for the elimination of child labour, in particular its worst forms, since 1992. Currently, the ILO has two programmes dealing with child labour issues: Decent Work for Domestic Workers to End Child Domestic Work (PROMOTE), funded by the United States Department of Labour (USDOL) and Combating Child Labour through Education Project, funded by the Government of Netherlands.
For further information, contact:
Ms Imelda Amelia Sibala
ILO-PROMOTE Project Coordinator for South Sulawesi
Tel. : +62215249809
Ms Gita Lingga
ILO’s Media Relations Officer
Tel. : +6221 391 3112 ext. 115