Commemoration of World Day Against Child Labour 2015
The annual World Day Against Child Labour has been observed on 12th June 2015 since 2002. The theme for this year is Say No to child labour, Yes to Quality Education. Education is a human right and a key factor in reducing poverty and child labour.
The annual World Day Against Child Labour has been observed on 12th June 2015 since 2002. The theme for this year is Say No to child labour, Yes to Quality Education. Education is a human right and a key factor in reducing poverty and child labour.
In 2010 at the Global Child Labour Conference at The Hague, Netherlands, Sri Lanka made a commitment to help achieve a world free of the worst forms of child labour by 2016. To give effect to this commitment, Sri Lanka is now implementing a “Road Map for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour” developed with the assistance of ILO to reach zero tolerance of the of child labour by 2016. This is an island-wide programme.
As the first activity in a series planned to commemorate World Day Against Child Labour, the Ministry of Labour with the support of the ILO, organized a meeting some days back with high-level representatives from all 25 districts in Sri Lanka and declared to achieve a Child Labour Free in Sri Lanka by 2016. Hon. Minister S B Navinna, Minister of Labour, Mr. Herath Yapa, Secretary, Ministry of Labour, Ms. Chandanee Amaratunga, Additional Commissioner General of the Department of Labour, Mr. Donglin Li, ILO Country Director for Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Mr. Leslie Devendra, General Secretary, Sri Lanka Nidahas Sevaka Sangamaya, Mr. Kanishka Weerasinghe, Deputy Director General, Employer’s Federation of Ceylon and Mr. Sunil Kannangara, District Secretary Ratnpura addressed the gathering at this important event.
Mr Gotabaya Jayarathna, Secretary, State Ministry of Labour, all Additional District Secretaries, Labour Commissioners and representatives from Departments and the institutions working on Child development participated at this national event. They all pledged to work together to achieve zero tolerance of the worst forms of child labour in Sri Lanka by 2016.
Addressing this event which was held at the Sri Lanka Institute of development Administration, Hon. Minister S B Navinna, and Minister of Labour emphasized the Government’s commitment to stop child labour as a matter of priority. The Minister further noted that the Ministry cannot achieve this noble goal alone and requested all government officials at all levels and other stakeholders to support this initiative.
Employers and Trade Unions affirmed their support to create a child labour free zone in Sri Lanka by 2016.
Mr. Sunil Kannangara, District Secretary Rathnapura shared his experience as head of the first district that declared a Child Labour Free Zone in June 2013. He explained how to integrate a child labour plan within a district development plan. He also expressed that if we need to eradicate Child Labour, we must work on all other related issues such as education, health, nutrition and leadership skills on the same platform.
Speaking at the event, Mr Donglin Li, ILO Country Director for Sri Lanka and Maldives stated, “Sri Lanka is one of many countries who has ratified ILO conventions on elimination child labour and also developed a Road Map to achieve zero tolerance for the worst forms of child labour across the island by 2016. He commended mainstreaming child labour into development sectors in Sri Lanka as an important strategy to reach its goal of zero tolerance of child labour by 2016
Ms. Shyama Salgado, National Programme Manager (FPRW), ILO, made a presentation at the event highlighting the 5P strategy to zero tolerance: Political will & awareness, Policy, Prevention, Protection and Prosecution to eliminate child labour.
Mr. R P Wimalasena, Senior Legal Advisor to the Ministry of Labour also made a presentation on the legal framework to prevent Child Labour. Mr. P Mahadevah, Commissioner of Labour, Women and Children Division (WCA) of Department of Labour gave an overview of the Dept. of Labour programme that drives the elimination of child labour to zero tolerance by 2016.
In 2010 at the Global Child Labour Conference at The Hague, Netherlands, Sri Lanka made a commitment to help achieve a world free of the worst forms of child labour by 2016. To give effect to this commitment, Sri Lanka is now implementing a “Road Map for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour” developed with the assistance of ILO to reach zero tolerance of the of child labour by 2016. This is an island-wide programme.
As the first activity in a series planned to commemorate World Day Against Child Labour, the Ministry of Labour with the support of the ILO, organized a meeting some days back with high-level representatives from all 25 districts in Sri Lanka and declared to achieve a Child Labour Free in Sri Lanka by 2016. Hon. Minister S B Navinna, Minister of Labour, Mr. Herath Yapa, Secretary, Ministry of Labour, Ms. Chandanee Amaratunga, Additional Commissioner General of the Department of Labour, Mr. Donglin Li, ILO Country Director for Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Mr. Leslie Devendra, General Secretary, Sri Lanka Nidahas Sevaka Sangamaya, Mr. Kanishka Weerasinghe, Deputy Director General, Employer’s Federation of Ceylon and Mr. Sunil Kannangara, District Secretary Ratnpura addressed the gathering at this important event.
Mr Gotabaya Jayarathna, Secretary, State Ministry of Labour, all Additional District Secretaries, Labour Commissioners and representatives from Departments and the institutions working on Child development participated at this national event. They all pledged to work together to achieve zero tolerance of the worst forms of child labour in Sri Lanka by 2016.
Addressing this event which was held at the Sri Lanka Institute of development Administration, Hon. Minister S B Navinna, and Minister of Labour emphasized the Government’s commitment to stop child labour as a matter of priority. The Minister further noted that the Ministry cannot achieve this noble goal alone and requested all government officials at all levels and other stakeholders to support this initiative.
Employers and Trade Unions affirmed their support to create a child labour free zone in Sri Lanka by 2016.
Mr. Sunil Kannangara, District Secretary Rathnapura shared his experience as head of the first district that declared a Child Labour Free Zone in June 2013. He explained how to integrate a child labour plan within a district development plan. He also expressed that if we need to eradicate Child Labour, we must work on all other related issues such as education, health, nutrition and leadership skills on the same platform.
Speaking at the event, Mr Donglin Li, ILO Country Director for Sri Lanka and Maldives stated, “Sri Lanka is one of many countries who has ratified ILO conventions on elimination child labour and also developed a Road Map to achieve zero tolerance for the worst forms of child labour across the island by 2016. He commended mainstreaming child labour into development sectors in Sri Lanka as an important strategy to reach its goal of zero tolerance of child labour by 2016
Ms. Shyama Salgado, National Programme Manager (FPRW), ILO, made a presentation at the event highlighting the 5P strategy to zero tolerance: Political will & awareness, Policy, Prevention, Protection and Prosecution to eliminate child labour.
Mr. R P Wimalasena, Senior Legal Advisor to the Ministry of Labour also made a presentation on the legal framework to prevent Child Labour. Mr. P Mahadevah, Commissioner of Labour, Women and Children Division (WCA) of Department of Labour gave an overview of the Dept. of Labour programme that drives the elimination of child labour to zero tolerance by 2016.