COVID-19 and child labour

The fight of child labour in Timor-Leste starts from the families

In conjunction with the commemoration of the World Day Against Child Labour (WDACL), the government of Timor-Leste called for the important role of the families in combating child labour, particularly during the pandemic.

News | Manufahi district, Timor-Leste | 15 June 2020
Children are washing their hands during the commemoration of the World Day Against Child Labour in Timor-Leste
"Let us fight child labour starting with ourselves and in our families, especially during this COVID-19 pandemic,” stated Julião da Silva, the Secretary of State of Vocational Training and Employment Timor-Leste when officially opening the commemoration of the World Day Against Child Labour (WDACL) at Manufahi district of Timor-Leste on 12 June. More than one hundreds participants, representing government officials, chief of villages, district administrators, employers and students, attended this festive commemoration.

Let us fight child labour starting with ourselves and in our families, especially during this COVID-19 pandemic."

Julião da Silva, the Secretary of State of Vocational Training and Employment Timor-Leste
The government of Timor-Leste, he added, has developed and deliberated relevant laws, regulations and commissions to support governmental actions to protect children from child labour. “However we cannot reach a future without child labour without the support and commitment from parents, families and each of us.”

Encouraging supports from relevant labour actors, students of Manufahi expressed their thoughts through messages displayed during the event. “My future is here, at this school. I don’t like child labour,” wrote Gelvanio dos Santos, 12th grade students of Cafe Manufahi. Meanwhile a common message from all the students said: “We, students of Cafe Manufahi, are happy to celebrate this day. We refuse child labour. Stop child labour right now!”

We need to ensure that children should not fall victims to child labour in any conditions, including in this current epidemic."

Albert Uriyo, representing the ILO’s Country Director
The commemoration was also in line with this year’s theme: COVID-19 – Protect children from child labour, now more than ever! The joint latest report of the ILO and UNICEF on child labour warns about the impact of current pandemic to child labour. “Children are often the most available labour in households. When households need more financial support, they turn to children,” according to the report.

The rights of children are to go to school and enjoy their lives as children. It is our duty, as parents, to realize these rights."

Antonino Bianco, a parliament member for labour affairs
Therefore, Albert Uriyo, representing the ILO’s Country Director, underlined the commitment of the ILO to continue assisting the government of Timor-Leste to fight child labour. “We need to ensure that children should not fall victims to child labour in any conditions, including in this current epidemic,” he said.

Antonino Bianco, a parliament member for labour affairs, also emphasized the realization of children’s rights. “The rights of children are to go to school and enjoy their lives as children. It is our duty, as parents, to realize these rights,” he said, adding that the parliament has committed to prioritize deliberation of laws on child labour.

The commitment of the parliament greatly supported by Dinorah Granadeiro, Child Rights Commissioner, who actively urges the government and the parliament to support and enact the child protection law. “In addition to the child right convention, our children will be more protected with the national law.”


Aimed to raise public awareness and to build movement against child labour, the event was funded by the United Stated Department of Labour under cooperative agreement with the ILO’s Measurement, awareness- rising and policy engagement project (MAP16) to accelerate action against child labour and force labour.