Kyrgyzstan makes further efforts to stop child labour

The event was organized by the Kyrgyz parliament and the Central Committee of the Trade Union of Education and Science Workers of Kyrgyzstan with support from the ILO. It was targeted at resumption of activity of the National Coordination Council to Combat Child Labour under Kyrgyzstan’s government.

During the meeting participants saw a video on the world forms of child labour filmed by the ILO in 2013.

“Although we have a good legal framework and the government takes measures, the problem of child labour in the country remains pressing and not fully resolved,” said Deputy Prime Minister Elvira Sarieva. “The problem of child labour can be tackled only through joint efforts of government, trade unions and employers, though efforts of the whole society.”

At present, at the government’s instruction an interdepartmental working group was set up in the republic. It works on a draft strategy for development of social protection of population for 2015-2017.

“The Central Committee of the Trade Union of Education and Science Workers of Kyrgyzstan has implemented three projects with the ILO’s support – creation of child labour free zones, enhancing of teachers’ capacities to eliminate child labour and strengthening of children’s potential through integration of project SCREAM – Stop child labour! and a non-formal education manual in daily activity,” said Vera Bredikhina, a representative of the committee.

A training manual for teachers of the non-formal education system had already developed in Kyrgyzstan and adapted to the national context by the Ministry of Education, she said.

Deputy Minister of Labour, Migration and Youth Zuurakan Kadenova said the Youth Labour Exchange had been making huge efforts to find jobs for young people as employers refuse to take underage workers over lack of experience. Moreover, Kyrgyzstan regularly organizes job fairs, where young people can meet employers directly. This year 187 minors had already been sent to different vocational courses.

Project Coordinator of the ILO International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (ILO-IPEC) in Kyrgyzstan Amina Kurbanova briefed participants on international and national experience in the elimination of child labour.

“We will be able to make the future of our children bright and happy, only if we pool efforts,” said chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions of Kyrgyzstan Asylbek Toktogulov.

Participants in the roundtable meeting adopted a resolution and showed “red card to child labour.”