An international conference was recently held in Liberia with the intent to create a national plan of action to end<a href=”https://borgenproject.org/child-labor-101/” title=“Child Labor“>child labor</a> in the country. Hosted by the Ministry of Labor of Liberia, conference facilitators included key government officials, legal consultants, and several NGO members dedicated to eliminating child labor.

Charles Kwarteng Asafo-Adjei, the Chief Technical Advisor for the International Labor Organization (ILO), stated in an address that Liberia’s efforts to reduce child labor and promote equal employment opportunities for men and women are important steps towards falling in line with the organization’s key principles.

Liberian Deputy Minister Neto Zarzar Lighe also spoke at the conference, stating that in 2002, Liberia had ratified an ILO mandate barring children from practices including debt bondage, prostitution, pornography, and any type of compulsory labor harmful jobs. Lighe also stated that the country is dedicated to moving forward to curtail child labor. By the end of the conference, it was recommended that Liberia make the ILO mandate domestic law.

Because 21 million people were victims of forced labor around the world in 2012, this is no small issue, and the people of Liberia, if they are to make any dent in that number, have their work cut out for them.

– Samantha Mauney

Source: All Africa,ILO
Photo: Gandhi Worldwide