- October 1, 2021
- Author: Precious Ching'ani
- Category: News
Employers’ Consultative Association of Malawi-ECAM in collaboration with the International Labour Organization-ILO organized a workshop in Salima to orient the new Malawi Employers Taskforce for Child Labour.
The orientation provided the task force members with the Terms of Reference for the task force, insights on the role of the International Labour Organization and the tools for employers on child labour that will assist the task force to effectively undertake their roles.
In his remarks during the meeting, ECAM Council member who is also in the task force, Richard Kunjawa emphasized the need for the task force to work together to achieve and contribute towards eliminating child labour in Malawi.
” Child labour, in particular its hazardous and worst forms, cannot be tolerated but the coming of the Accelerating Action for the Elimination of Child Labour- ACCEL Africa and the provision to form a task force will assist us to speak with one voice and act without further delays as it is our responsibility to prevent and eliminate child labour in the supply chains in Malawi,” said Kunjawa.
On behalf of ILO, speaking during his presentation the ILO Senior Projects Officer Dylan Van Tromp mentioned the activities that will be undertaken by the ILO which include capacity building for policymakers on child labour mainstreaming and financing based on the National Child Labour Guide, supporting the social partners with the implementation agreements as well as pilot social finance mechanisms to address root causes of child labour.
The Malawi Employers Taskforce for Child Labour was launched on 17th June 2021 during the World day Against Child Labour commemoration event organized by ECAM in conjunction with ILO. The purpose of the task force is to ensure seamless coordination and collaboration of child labour-related issues among employers and provision or responses in policy and advocacy at the country level.
Further to that, the task force provides a platform to identify and seek to address common challenges in child labour in programming, providing a collective technical voice on child labour issues such as inter-sectoral collaboration, and advocacy and policy work related to child labour.