Dhaka, 05 August 2020: Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) today congratulated International Labour Organization (ILO) for achieving universal ratification on child labour convention, thus giving all children legal protection against the worst forms of child labour.
In a statement, MJF Executive Director Ms. Shaheen Anam said: “We are delighted to learn that with the formal deposition of ratification instrument by Kingdom of Tongo on 4th August, ILO achieved universal endorsement of child labour convention adopted by all 187 member states. As a front-runner in Bangladesh in making meaningful changes in the lives of the children by withdrawing them from all forms of child labour, MJF joins the global celebration of this historic feat of ILO.”
“MJF and a number of child rights organization assisted the Bangladesh government to formulate National Child Labour Elimination Policy in 2010. With the universal ratification now in place, we all must create an atmosphere where child labour is unacceptable. Parents, society, NGOs and the government are duty-bound to work for bringing an end to child labour”, she added.
MJF Executive Director also regretted that country has lost an entire generation to modern slavery. “We must not allow loosing another generation, therefore, this universal ratification should usher in the time for universal accountability”, she added.
Referring to declaration of International Year for the Elimination of Child Labour by the UN in 2021, MJF urged the Government for prioritizing children in all policies to achieve relevant SDG targets. MJF also emphasized the need for effective coordination between the government and different non-government organizations, and also among different ministries working on child issues, to eliminate child labour in the country.
From 2006 to 2016, MJF enabled some 55,000 children to withdraw from working in hazardous environment. Under its ongoing Excluded People’s Rights Project since 2017, supported by UKAid, MJF has been working to get children 6-13 out of employment and to help older children (14-17-year-old) move from hazardous to non-hazardous work through reassignment or vocational apprenticeships. As of March 2020, MJF supported over 2700 children through its eleven partner NGOs to switch from hazardous to non-hazardous work in five districts.
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For more information, please contact:
Ms. Shahana Huda Ranjana
Senior Coordinator, Media and Communication
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