June 12 is the World Day Against Child Labour, which was marked in Timor-Leste through a joint action between the Secretary of State for Professional Training and Employment Policy (SSPTEP), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the General Labour Inspectorate, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Timor-Leste (CCI-TL) and the Confederation of Trade Unions of Timor-Leste (CTUTL), at the garden of Largo de Lecidere, in Dili, under the theme “Together we fight against child labour in Timor-Leste”.

The Secretary of State for Professional Training and Employment Policy (SSPTEP), Ilídio Ximenes da Costa, in his speech, emphasized “children’s right is established in the RDTL’s Constitution, now it is necessary to make it known among households. Timor-Leste already ratified the International Convention no. 182, about the “Worst Child Labour Forms”. When we ratify a convention, it is also necessary to submit the report about what happens in the country. We can see, in the streets, some children selling eggs, oranges, working in extraction of sand, to help their parents. These activities violate children’s rights, despite family’s economic demand. Therefore, we must act”.

The Commissioner of Children’s Rights, Adalgiza Ximenes, advanced that “it is our duty to pay special attention to children, awakening parents and community’s conscience, to pay respect for their rights and guarantee freedom of education and freedom of being a child, without being forced to work. We have to think over this situation and promote ways of prohibiting child labour”.

The Head of CTUTL, Agostinho Soares, advanced a suggestion headed to “the Government and the National Parliament, in assuming a political compromise, with the support of the General State Budget and the cooperation of public and private sector, to fight against child labour in Timor-Leste”.

The SSPTEP distributed school materials to children and booklets to the public.