Concerted efforts from all quarters have been highlighted as effective measures to curb all forms of child labuor in society. This was the views of Port Harcourt residents as the nation joins the rest of the globe to mark this year’s ‘World Day Against Child Labour’.
The International Labour Organisation, ILO in 2002 raised the awareness of the plight of children across the world subjected to inhumane treatment for socio-economic benefits. As a result ILO designated June 12 every year to mark World Day Against Child Labour.
Given this senior official of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) inPort Harcourt, Mrs. Amaka Ikediashi described child labor as a crime that involves employing underaged people for all forms of job meant for adults.
“Under the Nigerian law, child labour is an offense, a crime against children. Child Labour’ means giving employment to children to work in an industry or factory those children are meant to do work which are injurious and hazardous”, she stated. On her part, the Principle Intelligence Officer of NAPTIP Joy Anan enumerated the causative factors to child labour to include poverty.
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“We have things like illiteracy, when someone is not exposed like people in the rural areas. Hunger people are hungry. When you give them these juicy things in place everybody is excited. Another thing is that they are vulnerable”, she said. In her reaction, the chairperson of Stand-up for Women Society Rivers State Chapter, Mrs. Edna Uchey-Adigwu identified health hazard as one of the dangers of child labour.
It affects them psychologically. They feel deprive, alienated, inferior to other children and feel not wanted by the society”, she emphasised. A human right advocate, Mr. Higher King stated that legislation and enforcement of laws would go a long way to curb the menace. “Part of what should be done is law. If we make these laws and enforce them it will go along way to tackle the menace.
Another thing to be done is free education”, he explained. Speaking on the theme of the observance, ‘Progress is clear, but there is more to do: ‘Let’s speed up efforts,’ the Executive Director of Centre for Gender Equity and Sustainable Development, Chief Constance Meju, called on all stakeholders to work assiduously in ending child exploitation in Nigeria.
“It is the responsibility of everybody, the teacher, community people, the government, whether local or state, to see to the welfare of the child”, she stressed. The day is commemorated by organizing seminars, dramas, and media chats.
