A training session for child labour monitor is being hosted by the Ministry of Labour in Suva.
Participants include labour enforcement officers from the ministry.
Child Labour Unit coordinator Mr Atish Kumar said the training would empower these officers in tackling child labour issues.
“The main aim of the workshop is to prepare labour officers with child labour issues and the different legislations covering child labour, what the legislation means and of course we will form inter-agencies across Fiji to really tackle the issue,” Mr Kumar said.
“It is our duty to ensure that the child goes back to school and is looked after.”
Tackling Child Labour Through Education Fiji (TACKLE) and International Labour Organisation (ILO) coordinator Marie Fatiaki explained: “There are 318 million children working around the globe, 216 million children are in child labour while 140 million children are in labour of the worst form.”
Ms Fatiaki said the Asia Pacific’s region had the highest number of child labour.
“Most of these children are in the Asia region and the problem with the Pacific region is lack of data available,” she said.
“The labour officers work is very important. It is important that labour officers are able to identify the different situations a child is in and then categorise whether the situation is a child labour situation or not.”
Mr Kumar is adamant that at the conclusion of the five-day workshop, labour officers will be able to monitor child labour issues in their respective areas.
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