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NGO calls for protection of children against child labour

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An NGO, Women Connected By Purpose (WCBP), has appealed to government, civil society organisations and well-meaning Nigerians to do everything possible to protect children against child labour.

The Founder of the NGO, Mrs Mofoluwaso Ilevbare, made the appeal during the commemoration of the World Day Against Child Labour, on Friday in Ibadan.

The Newsmen reports that the Day, celebrated on June 12 every year, aims at focusing attention on the global extent of child labour as well as the actions and efforts needed to eliminate it.

According to Ilevbare, a career counsellor, to have a good society, attention must be focused on securing the future of children and grooming them to be better citizens.

Government, she said, must also put in place necessary legislation that would prohibit and prosecute cases of child labour in the country.

Ilevbare said children needed to be nurtured and cared for to turn out right in life.

“When families have failed in their roles to bring up their children positively, then it becomes a problem for society to deal with.

“Many families need to rethink their priorities and make out time to provide, protect and groom their wards for better future, while government should enforce relevant laws that will make it difficult for perpetrators of child labour to go unpunished,” she said.

Ilevbare added that all hands must be on deck to ensure a bright future for the nation by taking adequate care of children through quality education, healthcare and zero abuse.

“Also social security should be made available to reduce the burden on poor families, like feeding programmes for children and free education for the less-privileged, where possible.

“Awareness must be created on the media too to condemn child labour. In the current circumstance, it will be difficult to eradicate, but we need to take one step at a time,” she said.

Also speaking at the occasion, Dr Gbemisola Daramola, a General Practice/Public Health Physician, appealed to individuals to look around their neighbourhood and communities and find, at least, a family or a child to support.

Daramola, also a member of WCBP, said that supporting those in need would help reduce the incidence of the child or forced labour.

“If each of us adopts a family or child, it will go a long way in reducing the surge of child labour post-COVID-19,” she said.

Daramola said that the Day was aimed at fostering the worldwide movement against child labour in any form.
According to her, any work that helps a child to develop positively and be useful to him/herself and the society is not child labour.

“However, child labourers have to work many hours in a day and a week to earn a living, such that it is usually impossible for them to attend a school or play with other children in the neighbourhood.

When you simply make a child assume adult duties and fend for himself/herself, then such a child is under child labour”, she explained.

Daramola noted that according to UNICEF, more than one in every 10 children in the world were involved in child labour.

“Such children often work under dangerous circumstances, suffer various forms of abuse, particularly sexual, and are poorly fed.

“With the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the economy, many have lost their jobs, means of livelihood, breadwinners and benefactors.

“This will affect thousands of children around the world and push many more into the labour market,” Daramola said.

According to reports that each year, the Day brings together governments, employers and workers, corporate bodies, civil society organisations and millions of people from around the world to highlight the plight of child labourers and what can be done to help them.

This year’s celebration, according to the International Labour Organization (ILO), focuses on the impact of crises on child labour, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant economic and labour market shock.

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