Global: Initiatives “It’s Time to Talk!” and Children’s Advisory Committees (CACs) provide valuable insights and lessons into the improvement of working children’s cultural, political, economic and institutional barriers to participation and representation

Children’s work and labor

  • A complex issue – negatives and positives coexist as it is both a means to, and a violation of children’s rights
  • Despite 30 years of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, many children remain unheard and exploited
  • Children are key actors, and so it is crucial for policy makers and practitioners to understand their specific socio-economic and political contexts before acting
  • Listening and responding to children’s suggestions would enhance efforts to address underlying structural issues

Responses

  • 29 CACs who organized their own research and advocacy initiatives in 2018-19 across 18 countries globally
  • CACs supported by local NGOs and were part of “It’s Time to Talk!”, initiated by German NGOs Kindernothilfe and Terre des Hommes in 2016
  • “It’s Time to Talk!” now followed by “Dialogue Works” project, running from 2020-2024

Key Insights and Lessons

  1. Protect us from labor exploitation, harsh conditions and risks, and allow children to do suitable dignified work
    1. Many children emphasized that they do not want to stop all forms of work, as they are proud to contribute to their families and learn new skills
    2. The value of dignified work is emphasized particularly by CACs in Latin America
  2. Prevent and protect working children from violence and discrimination
    1. Certain groups of children face higher risks of sexual abuse, harassment, discrimination and other forms of violence due to their gender, disability or status as a refugee or migrant worker
  3. Address poverty; provide decent jobs for our parents; and ensure that our basic needs are met
    1. Children described lack of decent jobs for parents in rural, remote and urban settings
    2. Called for a multi-pronged approach that ensures access to basic needs i.e. clean drinking water, sanitation or access to livelihood programs
    3. Issue exasperated by Covid-19 pandemic
  4. Take our education seriously and provide quality education and skill training
    1. Difficult for children to balance work and studies, particularly when faced with the choice of working vs. education for survival
    2. Covid-19 pandemic not only adversely affected children’s access to education has increased school dropout rate
    3. Children call for more flexible education system that is suitable to their diverse realities
  5. Listen to us, understand us, and implement laws that respect our rights
    1. When working children’s views are ignored their rights to participation are violated, and they face increased risks of exploitation and abuse
    2. Many CACs organized interactions with local government officials to present and discuss their needs and rights
child labor
Language of materials
Projects and thematic pages

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