The Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment is conducting a Child Labour Awareness Training for sugarcane farmers this week with the aim to heighten the fight against child labour in the sugarcane industry.
The two day training at the Labasa Civic Centre which came to an end today saw 65 sugarcane farmers educated on issues related to child labour, child abuse and withdrawal of children from labour to admit them back to school.
Minister for Labour, Jone Usamate said the training focused on particular issues faced by children illegally employed in sugarcane fields.
“It focused on particular issues faced by children when they are illegally employed in the sugarcane fields and the implications it has on a child’s development and future, and ways in which we can address these problems,” Mr Usamate said.
The workshop also enabled farmers to learn with practical exercise the Ministry’s Child Labour Reporting System for effective reporting of child labour cases identified in the sugarcane fields.
“While child labour cases are not too prevalent in the sugar industry, the Ministry would like to take all necessary steps to ensure that its very existence is eliminated.
Government is committed to ensuring more investment is made on children’s development and elimination of child labour from the country,” Mr Usamate said.
He highlighted that for the first in the history of this country, Government has made education free for primary and secondary schools with provisions for tertiary qualification assistance through the Toppers and Scholarship Schemes.
“The Ministry has implemented successful programs to address child labour issues in the sugarcane industry where we have trained more than 40 Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC) and Sugar Cane Growers Council officers on monitoring and reporting of child labour cases to the Ministry,” Mr Usamate added.
“As a result, from 2010 the sugarcane farmers have received around 22 million dollars as fair trade grants for compliance with the International Fair Trade Rules of not involving children in cane harvesting and hazardous work in the cane fields.”
Mr Usamate also confirmed that Fiji has been rated as one of the best countries by the European Union (EU) for effectively implementing the Tackling Child Labour through Education (TACKLE) project of the International Labour Organization (ILO).
However, he said the fight against child labour continues and requires more concerted efforts by individuals, organizations, families and communities.
The training was organized in partnership with the Ministry of Sugar, Ministry of Education, the Social Welfare Department, the Sugar Cane Growers Council, Fiji Sugar Cooperation and the Labasa Cane Producing Association.
The training was also a build up towards the World Day against Child Labour which will be celebrated on June 12.