Geneva (Switzerland) – Mr Guy Ryder, Director-General, the International Labour
Organisation (ILO), on Tuesday stressed the need for member nations to end child labour, a menace which has continued to challenge child rights globally.
Ryder stated this in a statement issued on the sidelines of the 2016 International Labour Congress holding in Geneva from May 30 to June 10.
“Child labour has no place in well functioning and well regulated markets, or in any supply chain.
”The message that we must act now to stop child labour once and for all has been affirmed by the Sustainable Development Goals.
”Acting together, it is within our means to make the future of work a future without child labour, the statement said.
The director-general noted that more than 168 million children globally were still in child labour in all supply chains, ranging from agriculture and manufacturing to services and construction sectors.
In a bid to address the challenge, the ILO and the International Organisation of Employers (IOE) have jointly created the Child Labour Guidance Tool, he said.
According to him, the tool will serve as a resource for companies to increase their knowledge and ability to conduct business in line with international labour standards on child labour.
Ryder also noted that the tool mechanism would key into the long experience of ILO’s programme on the elimination of child labour, in partnership with employers.
The aim is to combat child labour in supply chains and incorporate contributions from the a wide variety of companies such as coca-cola.
”In addition, the ILO provides peer-to-peer best practice and knowledge sharing through the Child Labour Platform ”
”the platform aims to identify the obstacles to the implementation of the ILO Conventions on child labour in supply chains, develop practical ways of overcoming these obstacles, and catalyse collective action.”
He further said that ending child labour would require collective responsibility of all stakeholders.
He charged the 5,000 delegates attending the congress to deliberate on the issue as it affects their respective nations.
Nigeria is among the 187 member-nations participating in the 105th session of the congress.
The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that the ILC sets broad policies of ILO and meets annually in Geneva, Switzerland.
The annual “World Parliament of Labour” brings together more than 5,000 government officials,, workers and employer delegates from ILO’s 187 member-states. (NAN)
banker of the day - FREE banker tips from experts