Message from the Prime Minister on the World Day against Child Labour June 12th, 2016
Every year we celebrate the World Day against Child Labour, to remember the reality of children who start working while still minors, worldwide. June 12th was elected for this celebration, and, on behalf of the Government, I come to convey a message about child labour.
The reality that we see in our country shows us many under-aged children doing work that youths and adults should be doing. There are some children who are forced to work in the fields, on the land and to sell products in the market or on the roads, both in the mountains and in the cities. Why do they do it? And why don’t they, at such a young age, go to school instead of working? Where are their parents?
The family, society and nation should have the answer to these questions.
Inside a family, the father and the mother must take responsibility for the care of the children; they must give them the opportunity to play and to go to school, like the other children. Their working time will be in the future. They need to prepare themselves for later, so they can do their job better when they enter adulthood. Society needs to create sensitivity to not tolerate situations that allow children to work when they are too young, as opposed to going to school and preparing for their future. Children can help their parents, by doing some light work at home, but they should not be doing youth work in the fields, selling products in the market and on the road, or doing other related activities.
The State has created laws and action mechanisms such as the Resolution of the National Parliament N. 09/2009, to ratify the Convention of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and combat child labour. The Government also created the National Commission against Child Labour, which brings together representatives of the Government, workers’ and employers’ organizations, seeking to implement the ILO Convention.
The mechanisms created by the State aim to assist society and families to prevent their children from getting into child labour. The State, by itself, cannot prevent child labour. Only the family, society and the State, together, can remove Timorese children from labour and build a good future for them.
The place for children is not in the fields, on the lands or selling products in the market or on the roads.
The place for children is in school. That is where they learn, play and socialize with other children and where they acquire knowledge for the future, so that they can contribute to the development of the Nation and the State of Timor-Leste.
We will work together to combat child labour!
All for one! One for all!
