World child labour alarming - ILO

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

COLOMBO: Over 132 million girls and boys aged between five and 14 years work in farms and plantations harvesting crops, spraying pesticides, and tending livestock.

Girls are particularly disadvantaged as they often undertake household chores before or after working in the fields, International Labour Organisation (ILO) records revealed.

These details were revealed during World Day Against Child Labour celebrations yesterday at the Hilton Colombo Residence under the theme of `Agriculture without child labour’.

Addressing the gathering Director, International Labour Organization (ILO), Colombo Tine Staermose said that ILO on the request of the Labour Ministry is presently looking into the possibility of supporting a new child labour survey that will provide updated information in relation to child labour paving the way for a comprehensive time bound programme to eliminate selected worst forms of child labour in Sri Lanka.

In last year’s global report launched by the ILO on the occasion of World Day Against Child Labour, it was reported that of an estimated 218 million child labourers on the world, 70 per cent were working in the agricultural sector, she added.

Child Development and Women’s Empowerment Ministry Secretary Indrani Sugathadasa and several others also spoke. Some related NGOs made presentation during the ceremony.

A cultural item was presented by children attached to NWC.