Child labour session in the global forum on artisanal and small-scale mining

The ILO will dig into the facts of child labour in small scale mining as part of the session of United Nations Environment Programme's global forum. The forum aims to identify challenges and opportunities in small-scale mining. It will also discuss the use of mercury in small-scale mining. UNEP is preparing a legally binding global instrument on mercury and plans to pass it prior to the 27th session of its Governing Council in 2013.

Child labour will be tackled in a session of the global forum on artisanal and small-scale mining. The forum, organized by the United Nations Environment Programme will be held in Manila on 7-9 December 2010. The forum aims to identify challenges and opportunities in small-scale mining. It will also discuss the use of mercury in small-scale mining. UNEP is preparing a legally binding global instrument on mercury and plans to pass it prior to the 27th session of its Governing Council in 2013.

The ILO Country Office for the Philippines, through its Country Level Engagement and Assistance to Reduce Child Labour (CLEAR) programme, has been invited as the main presenter in the child labour panel session on 8 December 2010. ILO-IPEC is currently implementing a project against child labour, supported by the United States Department of Labor and covers four priority provinces, namely: Quezon, Masbate, Northern Samar and Bukidnon. Child labour in small-scale mining is present in three of these provinces based on the project’s initial scoping activities.

ILO-IPEC sees the forum as an opportunity to promote the agenda of eliminating child labour particularly in small-scale mining. It also looks forward to building partnerships and exploring possible collaboration with forum participants.