Child Labour in Samoa
Samoa has ratified the Minimum Age Conventions 1973 (No.138) and the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention 1999 (No.182) in 2008 and has made progress through related changes to national legislation's to ensure compliance with international standards.
The ILO Pacific Sub-regional Child Labour and Trafficking Programme conducted the first ever Samoa Child Labour and Trafficking Forum in 2014. Excellent participation and commitment was shown from the tripartite stakeholders as well as other government ministries and CSOs to combating child labour in Samoa. As an outcome of the Forum, the ILO has conducted a Rapid Assessment on Child Street Vendors in Samoa.
A review has also been conducted into the structures and mechanisms based on current legislation's in place to eliminate child labour. These will assist the stakeholders in developing processes to ensure that there is adequate identification, profiling and assistance provided to working children.
The programme has also provided technical assistance to the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour (MCIL) and other stakeholders to develop appropriate inspection guides and determine a hazardous child labour list for Samoa.
ILO tripartite constituents have also been involved in piloting child labour awareness programmes with members as well as conducting micro research to properly define child labour in the Samoa context. The Samoa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) has conducted workshops with its members to review child labour policies in the workplace as well as developing a resource guide for employers titled ‘Employers Guide to Eliminating Child Labour in Samoa’.
The Samoa Workers Congress (SWC) have also conducted a mini programme which included research into child labour practices in the workplace as well on farms and agricultural settings. Awareness raising events have also been held with the members of the SWC to ensure dialogues at community level on pertinent issues.
The ILO Pacific Sub-regional Child Labour and Trafficking Programme conducted the first ever Samoa Child Labour and Trafficking Forum in 2014. Excellent participation and commitment was shown from the tripartite stakeholders as well as other government ministries and CSOs to combating child labour in Samoa. As an outcome of the Forum, the ILO has conducted a Rapid Assessment on Child Street Vendors in Samoa.
A review has also been conducted into the structures and mechanisms based on current legislation's in place to eliminate child labour. These will assist the stakeholders in developing processes to ensure that there is adequate identification, profiling and assistance provided to working children.
The programme has also provided technical assistance to the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour (MCIL) and other stakeholders to develop appropriate inspection guides and determine a hazardous child labour list for Samoa.
ILO tripartite constituents have also been involved in piloting child labour awareness programmes with members as well as conducting micro research to properly define child labour in the Samoa context. The Samoa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) has conducted workshops with its members to review child labour policies in the workplace as well as developing a resource guide for employers titled ‘Employers Guide to Eliminating Child Labour in Samoa’.
The Samoa Workers Congress (SWC) have also conducted a mini programme which included research into child labour practices in the workplace as well on farms and agricultural settings. Awareness raising events have also been held with the members of the SWC to ensure dialogues at community level on pertinent issues.