Child Labour is any form of work that deprives children of having a regular childhood. Child Labour is one of the greatest problems that the world faces today. To this effect, every year on June 12, the world comes together to battle the ills of child labour.
K&TRC’s efforts to combat child labour led us to the Wasimi/Oduwo Community, Ondo State where we lamented over the lack of progress in combating child labour especially in Cocoa farms vis-a-vis the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, which pushed more children into child labour as a result of closure of schools.
The CEO, Martin-Mary said :
“If urgent measures are not taken the future will be bleak. Reversing the trend require a renewed commitment by political, religious and community leaders to place children’s rights at the centre of economic and social policy”.
Realizing children’s rights to quality education, to healthcare, to social protection, to adequate standard of living and having their voices heard in the decisions that affect them, are fundamental to their right to be free from child labour.
All the children in the community were provided with gifts of exercise books and writing materials as a way to encourage them and their parents to end all forms of child labour and embrace education as a legacy for their children and wards.
According to him,
“Respecting children’s rights is also vital for economic and social development, as it allows them to access productive and decent work in the future as adults. This can lift whole societies out of poverty”.