Media Release: The Ministry of Labour celebrates World Children’s Day 2022 and reminds the population that ‘Children are to be celebrated not placed in Child Labour’
Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago - Friday 18 November, 2022
On November 20 countries all over the world celebrate World Children’s Day to promote international togetherness, awareness among children, andimproving children's welfare worldwide (United Nations). On this day in 1989 the Convention on the rights of the Child was adopted according to the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF).
As the line Minster whose Ministry’s portfolio entails inter alia to prevent and eliminate Child Labour in Trinidad and Tobago, the Honourable Stephen Mc Clashie M.P. and staff at the Ministry continue to champion the celebration of children and the promotion of their rights.
Minister Mc Clashie states “In the same way a worker cannot work without his or tools so too children cannot reach their full potential without accessing their most basic rights to their education and childhood.”
On occasions of Children’s Day the Ministry of Labour places heightened emphasis on raising national awareness on Child Labour to empower citizens to make the right choices and join in the protection of children’s rights. Its Labour Inspectorate Unit which is tasked with actively investigating reports of Child Labour continues to fulfil its mandate and is currently investigating ninety-four (94) reports recently received by members of the public from the Ministry’s online Perception Child Labour E-Survey.
Child Labour is a multi-dimensional issue where it does not only entail the employment of children but also affects their mental and physical health, deprives them of their education and childhood, which limits their potential. The Ministry is in the process of engaging a Consultant who will conduct research to facilitate the development of a National Child Labour Policy. The development of this Policy will require collaboration among Ministries, Agencies and Non-Government Organizations ensuring that collective efforts are utilised to address the issue in a wholistic manner and allow for the formalization of a national plan to tackle Child Labour in Trinidad and Tobago.
The Ministry of Labour has over the years received and continues to receive sustained support from the International Labour Organization (ILO), both financial, technical and technological to boost the Ministry’s capacity in addressing the issue of Child Labour. This longstanding relationship has provided strategic direction and key resources required to strengthen the capacity of its Officers and devise systems to monitor and guide the process for achieving the mandate of the Ministry.
As the Ministry observes its annual recognition of Children’s Day, it has executed the following activities coordinated collaboratively by its Labour Inspectorate, Communications and Labour Market Information Units. These activities target children and adults and span the period 15 – 24 November, 2022 as follows:
- Hosting of Child Labour Art Exhibition in the Lobby,Tower C, International Waterfront Centre, Wrightson Road, Port of Spain.
- Launch of Child Labour Survey in five (5) Primary Schools and via email to several Primary Schools across Trinidad and Tobago.
- Launch of the Secondary School Child Labour E-Survey via a Social Media Campaign in collaboration with young Soca Icon, Mr. Aaron Duncan, local influencer and teacher at Morvant Laventille Secondary School, Mr. Stephon Felmine and Chief Executive Officer of Student Hub and Tutor, Mr. Kerwin Springer.
- The launch of three (3) radio features on all radio stations highlighting interviews with six children who are winners of the Ministry of Labour and the International Labour Organzation’s Child Labour Video Monologue Competition hosted in late 2021. These features were facilitated by the Information Division -Office of the Prime Minister – Communications.
On the Occasion of World Children's Day, this year's UNICEF theme, ‘inclusion for every child’ reinforces the need to ensure that all children of T&T despite their race, gender or disability status are able to access their most basic rights to an education and childhood.
The Ministry of Labour has pledged its continued support towards the protection of children by working towards the prevention and elimination of child labour which means that children below the age of 16 are not working but accessing their education, childhood and fulfilling their true potential.
For further information, please contact: Communications Unit,
Ministry of Labour, International Waterfront Centre, Tower C, Level 6,
1A Wrightson Road, Port of Spain.
Tel: 625-8478 ext.1203 Fax: 623-1404
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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