ECAM Calls for Employers to Embrace the Durban Call to Action to Eliminate Child Labour

Employers Consultative Association of Malawi-ECAM calls upon employers to commit and accelerate efforts to eliminate Child Labour and the Worst Forms of labour by promoting decent work in the workplace and supply chains in the country.

This call follows the recent 5^th Global Conference of the Elimination of Child Labour which took place in Durban, South Africa from 15^th to 20^th May 2022 and closed with the Adoption of the Durban Call to Action to deal with the scourge of Child Labour.

The Durban Call to Action includes commitments in six different areas: Make decent work a reality for adults and youth above the minimum age for work by accelerating multi-stakeholder efforts to eliminate child labour, with priority given to the worst forms of child labour; End child labour in agriculture;  Strengthen the prevention and elimination of child labour, including its worst forms, forced labour, modern slavery and trafficking in persons, and the protection of survivors through data-driven and survivor-informed policy and programmatic responses; Realize children’s right to education and ensure universal access to free, compulsory, quality, equitable and inclusive education and training; Achieve universal access to social protection; increase financing and international cooperation for the elimination of child labour and forced labour.

The stakeholders that affirmed their commitment to preventing and eliminating Child Labour included representatives of government, employers’ organisations, workers’ organisations, United Nations agencies, international and civil society organisations, businesses, children and academic institutions.

From Malawi, various stakeholders attended the conference including the Vice President Honourable Dr Saulos Klaus Chilima, Minister of Labour, Minister of Education and other government officials; representatives from ECAM, Teachers Union of Malawi and Malawi Congress of Trade Unions.