By Samuel P. Medenilla, BusinessMirror, 30 Jul 2020
The government is now over 30 percent complete in its target to remove 650,000 child laborers from hazardous work by 2022, according to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
In an online interview in PTV on Wednesday, Labor officer-in-charge undersecretary Joji V. Aragon said the National Council Against Child Labor (NCACL), which is led by DOLE, was able to help at least 250,000 child laborers.
This was confirmed Bureau of Workers with Special Concerns (BWSC) director Ma. Karina Perida-Trayvilla, who said that from 2018 to 2019, DOLE was able to profile 275,614 child laborers.
“Of these children, 202,236 have been referred for the provision of necessary services such as livelihood for the parents, educational assistance, medical, legal and other assistance,” Trayvilla told BusinessMirror in a SMS.
Aragon said the profiling is the first step of the government to help child laborers since it allows them to determine what aid to provide them and their families.
She said their initial intervention would be to send back the child to school then provide livelihood to their parents or guardians.
“Once they get a livelihood, they will no longer send back the youth to work,” Aragon explained.
Aragon admitted their profiling operations for child laborers this year was interrupted because of the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic. A total of 175,000 child laborers were supposed to be profiled for 2020.
However, the profiling is not expected to resume until next year.
With the suspension of the profiling, she said DOLE is now focused in referring the already profiled child laborers to appropriated government agencies for assistance.
Despite the setback, Aragon said they are still confident of achieving their 650,000 target in the next two years.
World Day for Safety and Health at Work
“Safety and health at work every day!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations against serious violations of Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.
Accept National Unity Government
(NUG) of Myanmar.
Reject Military!
#WearMask #WashHands #Distancing #TakePicturesVideos
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Last Week of March: Protection and Gender Fair Treatment of the Girl Child Week
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Mar 25 – International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transallantic Slave Trade
Mar 27– Earth Hour
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Apr 22 – World Earth Day
Apr 28 – World Day for Safety and Health at Work
