Barbados has no reported cases of child labour, Minister of Labour and Social Partnership Colin Jordan declared on Tuesday, even as he warned employers to play their role in ensuring the scourge never raises its head.
As he delivered remarks at the opening ceremony of the National Child Labour Seminar, this morning, Jordan praised the Ministry of Education’s enforcement of the Education Act for tamping down child labour – children working when they should be in school.
Jordan said: “All of us have a duty to protect our children. If the Labour Department in the execution of their duties finds evidence that employers are contravening ILO Convention No 138, that is that they are employing young people to work at night, the course of action open to them is clear.
“They can issue the usual missives of warning and turn matters over to the relevant agencies. My Labour Department must be and will be more aggressive in enforcing the laws of Barbados and the ILO Conventions.”
He stressed that child labour is not only wrong on moral grounds but a threat to the notion of decent work and challenges efforts to promote sustainable economic growth.
Jordan said children lack the necessary work experience and understanding of workplace hazards, and are less likely than their adult counterparts to be aware of legal protections against work-related risks and the right to a healthy and safe working environment.
The labour minister said: “The issue of child labour concerns us all since it affects a child’s development potential.
“Government through the Ministry responsible for Labour continues to ensure that human rights in particular workers rights are not infringed.
“Our mandate is to develop and implement policies relating to the management of labour relations and human resource development.”
The child labour seminar was organised to raise awareness of child labour and its worst forms, particularly in relation to reaching sustainable development goal 8.7 which urges UN member countries to work with a view towards eradicating child labour by 2025.
Jordan noted that the seminar is timely as the world is faced with the COVID-19 pandemic, and governments are confronted with various challenges as a result of the measures aimed at protecting families and the most vulnerable in society.
“This collaboration with the ILO Caribbean office is aimed primarily to educate and sensitize our key stakeholders,” he told officials.
“You – our labour officers, safety and health officers, police officers, education and health officers, social workers and guidance counsellors – you are here because you are in the vanguard, interacting with children and families directly.
“This will set the stage for strengthening our local capacity to identify and develop programmes, allow for effective monitoring and inspection of workplaces and support accurate reporting instances of child labour.” (AH)
