Webinar, 5 November 2021

A Bright Future Ahead: Understanding and Addressing Forced Labour and Child Labour Issues

This online event will provide guidance to Sabah employers and other stakeholders on how it can prevent and address forced labour and child labour in their operations.

Background

The Sustainable Development Goal 8 targets ending forced labour and the worst forms of child labour by 2025. This year 2021 is the International Year on the Elimination of Child Labour. Considering the COVID-19 pandemic that is likely to result in increased poverty and children dropping out of school, the need to avoid a rise in the incidence of child labour cannot be more urgent now than ever. Child labour not only prevents children from acquiring the skills and education they need for a better future, it also perpetuates poverty and affects national economies through losses in competitiveness, productivity and potential income. Meanwhile, forced labour presents another major challenge for countries such as Malaysia. It is a violation of human rights and must be addressed with sense of urgency.

There is still a need to concretize actions that will help address and prevent risks of forced labour and child labour, while ensuring the respect and protection of the human rights of the vulnerable groups. The Department of Labor Sabah and the International Labour Organization’s “From Protocol to Practice: A Bridge to Global Action on Forced Labour” (Bridge) partner to conduct this webinar to increase the awareness of Sabah stakeholders on forced labour and child labour, and ways to address these issues.

Please contact jtknsabah@mohr.gov.my to register.

Speakers

• Welcome Remarks: MR. WAN ZULKFLI BIN WAN SETAPA, DOL-Sabah Director
• International Labour Standards and Perspectives on Forced Labour and Child Labour: MRS. JODELEN MITRA, ILO Bridge Project Technical Officer
• Sabah Legislation and Government’s Perspectives on Forced Labour and Child Labour: MR. MADZARAL SEBALUN, DOL-Sabah, Head of Labour Standards
• Ensuring Workers’ Voice in Addressing Forced Labour and Child Labour in Sabah: MS. CATHERINE JIKUNAN, Secretary, Malaysian Trades Union Congress Sabah Division
• Panel Discussion on Examples on Supply Chains Due Diligence Incorporating Practices in Addressing Forced Labour and Child Labour
o DATUK SHAMSUDDIN BARDAN – Malaysian Employers Federation
o MR. THOMAS LIM SAU FONG – East Malaysia Planters Association
o MS. LINDA LIM – Earthworm Foundation
o MS. MEGANE CHESNE – Nestle
• Closing Remarks: Sabah State Government

Disclaimer and acknowledgment: Funding is provided by the United States Department of Labor under cooperative agreement number IL-27592-15-75-K—1. 100 percentage of the total costs of the global Bridge Project is financed with Federal funds, for a total of US$17,395,138. This material does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the United States Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the United States Government.