ILO Calls on Stakeholders to Double Efforts to End Child Labour
International Labour Organisation (ILO) has called on stakeholders to double their efforts and strengthen their unity to end child labour in Nigeria and the ECOWAS sub-region.
The call was made in a statement, Thursday, issued to mark the World Day Against Child Labour and the 25th anniversary of the adoption of ILO Convention No. 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour.
In his statement, the Director of ILO Abuja Country Office for Liberia, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Nigeria, and Liaison office for the ECOWAS, Ms. Vanessa Phala, asked all stakeholders to double their efforts and strengthen their unity to end child labour in Nigeria and the ECOWAS sub-region.
Speaking at the commemorative event held on 12 June 2024, in Akure, Ondo State, Phala said: “I call on everyone here today to strengthen our unity in our fight against child labour and forced labour. We must strive to ensure that every child in the world can flourish in a safe and nurturing environment. Let us work together to make a change in the world.”
Funded by the United States Department of Labour through the ILO Action Against Child Labour in Agriculture in West Africa (ACLAWA) and Global Accelerator Lab (GALAB) projects in Nigeria, the commemoration was attended by over 350 students from 40 schools in Ondo State.
Phala, represented by the ACLAWA Project Manager, Agatha Kolawole, further urged all stakeholders to fulfill their commitments to Convention No. 182.
The World Day Against Child Labour, according to her, was meant for the effective implementation of those ILO Conventions, reinvigorated action to end child labour, and universal ratification and implementation of both conventions.
The Director noted the urgency to fully implement these fundamental ILO Conventions is more pressing than ever, as the world and indeed Nigeria, approach the 2025 target set by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG target 8.7) for the elimination of child labour.
“Balancing education and work pose complex challenges, emphasizing the importance of concerted efforts to eradicate child labor and ensure access to quality education for all,” Phala added.
Controller of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment in Ondo State, Mrs. Olanike Mogboruko, urged all stakeholders to remember that every child deserves a childhood free from exploitation and filled with opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive.