Efforts to stop child labour in South Sudan in top gear

JUBA, 29 September 2011 (NASS) – The Government of the Republic of South Sudan through the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare in partnership with the International Labour Organization, International Programme on Elimination of Child Labour, and Tackling Child Labour Through Education are working on strategies to monitor and eliminate child labour in South Sudan by fully applying the Child Act, 2008.

The partners held a workshop in Juba this week whose objective was to develop a framework to tackle child labour in South Sudan by building protective environment for the children; advocacy by the civil society on the participation of the children; creation of appropriate attitudes, customs and practices coupled with the relevant reintegration programmes safeguarding the interests of children; asserting that all children have rights regardless of their gender, race, religion; and bringing to an end the employment of children in bars, lodges and other entertainment premises.

Opening the workshop, the advisor in the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare Mr Peter Sokule Buni urged all South Sudanese to protect their children by giving them the right education; protecting them from violence, kidnapping, injuries, diseases, sexual exploitation, child trafficking, abduction, and harmful socio-cultural practices. He emphasized that empowering the children is critical if they have to become useful citizens of the new country.

The Director General of Child Labour Ms Regina Ossa said that some of the causes of child labour stem from early marriages and alcoholism. She called on the communities to discard such practices.

The Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare is also partnering in these efforts with the ministries of Interior; Justice; Labour, Public Service and Human Resource Development; General Education and Instruction; as well as the Judiciary, UN agencies and Non-Governmental Organizations.

Reported by Simon Akol, News Agency of South Sudan (NASS)

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