The ILO held a session with a wide range of partners in Iraq on ILO’s interventions, standards and approaches in relation to addressing child labour in the country. The session is part of efforts under an ILO-RDPP project aimed at tackling the worst forms of child labour amongst Syrian refugees, internally displaced persons and vulnerable host community members in Iraq.
Participants included UN, local and international agencies which aim to protect and promote the rights of children affected by conflict.
The training aimed to assist child protection case managers to better understand the dynamics of child labour with the aim of enabling participants to identify and refer cases. The session provided an introduction to the international and national frameworks governing child labour with a focus on the Worst Forms of Child Labour.
Participants were introduced to practical techniques to identify the worst forms of child labour, as well as indicators of hazardous labour and strategies to identify hidden forms of labour. The session also included a segment on awareness-raising and provided some key messages for children, parents and employers. It was the first of a series of trainings on case management and inclusion of child labour standards in child protection work.
In close collaboration with a range of partners, including UNICEF and UNHCR, as well as local partners and organisations, activities to identify, withdraw and rehabilitate children from some of the worst forms of child labour are being implemented. In addition, measures to prevent at-risk children from entering the worst forms of child labour are being developed. This includes the development of a Child Labour Monitoring System to identify and refer vulnerable children to relevant actors and services, as well as the development of a National Action Plan against Child Labour to ensure better protection for vulnerable children and families.
