Oecusse Ambeno (Joint Press Release) - The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have renewed their call for the prioritization of social safety nets and provision of quality social services to help protect children against the worst forms of child labour in Timor-Leste. The two UN Agencies further urged Government to consider the adoption of the Timor-Leste’s National Action Plan against the Worst Forms of Child Labour, which will help to define activities classified as child labour and further lists some of work, which is harmful to children.

This call was made in the Autonomous Region of Oecusse Ambeno during an event to commemorate the World Day Against Child Labour, globally commemorated on the 12th June.

Though the National Action Plan against Child Labour is already on the table of Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs for approval, “we would like to reiterate our call for ratification of this NAP as soon as possible so that it becomes a guideline for the government and all related sectors to work and contribute to elimination of child labour in Timor-Leste” said ILO Country Director Michiko Miyamoto in Timor-Leste.

Child labour, which refers to work that is harmful to the physical and mental development of a child, has been on the rise in Timor-Leste due to heightened household poverty, which is forcing more parents to send their children out to earn extra money for household expenses. In addition, the social and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic added strain to household incomes and pushed more children into economic activities.

According to the 2016 National Child Labour Survey, more than 67,688 children aged 5 to 17 years, or 16 percent of children in this age group are engaged in some form of economic activity. The survey further reveals that 52,651 children are classified as engaging in child labour, with 10 percent of these being children aged 5 to 12 years.

“Too many children continue to be deprived of their childhood, their potential, and their dignity as they spend endless hours engaged in hazardous economic activities,” said UNICEF Representative, Bilal Aurang Zeb Durrani. “Guided by the international commitment made through the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 2003, we must now take urgent steps to bring this problem to an end.”

To reverse this current trend, the ILO and UNICEF have advised on the importance of increasing social protection safety nets such as credit schemes for vulnerable families. In addition, improving access to quality social services such as education and decent employment for adults will also hedge families from economic shocks and protect children from child labour.

The ILO and UNICEF further recommitted to working with Government and Civil Society to sensitize parents on the nature of child labour and to help them understand the harmful effects of the practice.

For more information, please contact:

Jacinto Belo
ILO Timor-Leste
Email: jbelo@ilo.org