Zambia commemorates 2024 World Day Against Child Labour
LUSAKA (ILO News) - The 2024 World Day against Child Labour (WDACL) was commemorated under the theme, Let’s act on our commitments: End Child Labour! The commemoration attracted various stakeholders including the workers’ and employers’ organizations. In Zambia, the commemoration was held on 12th June 2024 at the Government Complex in Lusaka. This year’s World Day was focusing on celebrating the 25th anniversary of the adoption of ILO Convention No. 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour (1999), which, in 2020, was the first ILO Convention to be universally ratified.
12 June 2024
Speaking during the commemoration, the ILO Country Office Director speaking through the Officer-In Charge, Mr Jean-Louis Lambeau, emphasised the need for concerted efforts to fight child labour. “Decent work means ending forced labour, creating safe and healthy workplaces, and letting workers organize and voice their needs. It means ending discrimination because child labour often affects marginalized groups” – added Mr. Lambeau.
And speaking at the same event, the Zambia Federation of Employers (ZFE) midlands Vice President, Mr. Kennedy Njamba also called upon the Government and other partners to enhance surveillance in identifying and combating child labour.
Meanwhile, the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) represented by Deputy Secretary General (administration and Organization), Mrs. Catherine Choba who urged all employees to be vigilant and report cases of child labour. She further encouraged the Government to implement the National Action Plan for the elimination of worst forms of Child Labour 2020-2025.
Speaking at the same event, Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Brenda Mwika Tambatamba, informed the gathering that the new dawn Government was committed to end child labour and enable children enjoy good health and attain education hence the free education policy that the Government was implementing.
Mrs. Tambatamba added that: “Child Labour is harmful to the physical and emotional wellbeing of children. Therefore, fighting Child labour is not only global back in Zambia aswell. The 2022 Child labour report highlighted that 430,000 children were involved in child labour with rural areas recording the high numbers in the Tobacco and Cotton value chain”.
In efforts to address child labour, the new dawn government through the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) has procured school desks to accommodate learners. In addition, school bursaries have been made available for learners to access tertiary education and enhance skills development among young people. Additionally, a total of 37,000 teachers have been recruited to ensure that children are receiving quality education.
In efforts to enhance households’ resilience, the Government had provided Social Cash Transfer (SCT) as a social safety net and poverty mitigation strategy. Lastly, the Government implemented the 20 percent partial with withdraw of pension to empower households with income security to venture into enterprises and meet necessities of food, shelter, and clothing.