By Martin Banks - 10th June 2008
The commission has launched a €16 million project to fight child labour in 11 countries.
The move, in conjunction with the International Labour Organisation (ILO), comes on the eve of world day against child labour on Thursday.
Jose Valente, head of section at the commission’s EuropeAid cooperation office, helped launch the initiative in Brussels with Michele Jankanish, of the ILO.
The four-year project will focus on providing access to basic education and training in countries such as Kenya, Zambia, Sudan, Madagascar, Mali, Angola, Jamaica, Guyana and Sierra Leone.
Valente said the aim of the so-called Tackle project is to contribute to the withdrawal of children engaged in child labour and their involvement in activies such as prostitution.
“It is also aimed at preventing further entry of children into employment by offering alternative education and training opportunities.
“The project will also provide guidance to formulate new or improve existing legal and policy frameworks on child labour and education in the partner countries and to ensure their effective implementation and application," he said.
He added, “The target of 2016 for the elimination of the worst forms of child labour is just around the corner and a concerted effort needs to be taken by stakeholders to achieve it.
“Fundamentally, this requires the political will of governments to stay focused in their efforts to end child labour.”
The ILO has estimated that 218 million children worldwide aged between five and 17 years are engaged in labour.
More than two-thirds of these children - about 180 million - are exploited in the worst forms of child labour, says the Geneva-based organisation.
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