Worst Form Of Labour :Govt firm to withdraw child workers by 2015

With a view to monitor the implementation of child labour programmes in the country, the Ministry of Labour and Employment has formed a Child Labour Unit (CLU) recently.At the launching ceremony of the unit at the National Press Club yesterday, the speakers said that objectives of the unit are to maximise impact by promoting multi-sectoral collaborative action, strengthen knowledge base on the worst forms of child labour in the country and to develop and implement a national multi-disciplinary system for monitoring child labour.It also aims at developing a systematic, well-planned and comprehensive advocacy at national level for the elimination of the worst form of child labour, the speakers said.Joint Secretary Azizur Rahman and Panudda Boonpala, director of International Labour Organisation (ILO), Dhaka were also present at the ceremony chaired by Dr Mahfuzul Haque, secretary to the Ministry of Labour and Employment.Bangladesh is committed to withdraw the child workers from the worst form of child labours by 2015 as it ratified the ILO Convention on the Worst Forms of Child Labour. But currently there is no specific mechanism to monitor child labour and the unit would be helpful in this regard, the speakers said.Quoting the National Child Labour Survey 2002-03, the speakers said that around 7.4 million of the children aged under 5-17 years were economically active and 41 percent of the child labourers were involved in hazardous jobs.Child labourers face two types of hazards brought about by the nature of the work and the circumstances under which it is carried out, the speakers said.In addition to the fact that most child labourers are deprived of education and a proper childhood, many face serious work-related hazards that have short-term and long-term impact on their health such as cuts, bruises, burns and other injuries, infections, skin diseases, deteriorating eyesight, hearing and breathing problems, gastro intestinal complaints and headaches, etc, they added.