"In the fight against child labour the UN system Network on Rural Development and Food Security can support a coordinated approach towards tackling child labour in order to complement each UN agencies' work." - Frans Röselaers

In this interview Mr. Frans Röselaers, Director of ILO's International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC), speaks about the situation of child labour in rural areas as well as the milestones reached by IPEC.

What is the current situation of child labour, specifically in rural areas?

On the basis of new global estimates published last year, some 246 million children worldwide are child labourers and some 70 percent of these children work in agriculture and fishing or forestry. Many of them are involved in work related to processing and in harvesting. We found a much higher incidence of worst forms of child labour in 2000 than five years earlier. Some 120 million children in agriculture are involved in hazardous child labour which can result in them being killed, injured, or suffering ill-health. Children working in the agriculture sector are often dealing with dangerous substances, such as pesticides, chemicals or dusts, carrying heavy loads for long distances, or working near or operating heavy machinery and equipment.

What are the main activities and milestones of ILO's International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour?

One of the milestones of the International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) established 10 years ago is the adoption in 1999 of the ILO Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention (No. 182). This convention was important because it distinguished the forms of child labour and focused world attention on the need to take immediate action to eradicate those forms of child labour that are hazardous and damaging to children's physical well being. These forms of child labour not only keep children from not attending school, but in the long term, also make it difficult for them to realize their full potential as adults. This convention attracted a lot of attention and has been ratified to date by 147 ILO member states. The convention that sets a minimum age (No 138) has also been ratified by 130 countries. These two conventions encourage countries to take action and associate with other partners such as trade unions, employers' organizations and NGOs, with financial support from donors. Governments could also change and enforce legislation in order to enable children to go to school, and help parents to improve their income and thus avoid having to send children to work.

What have the program's concrete results been?

We could mention several examples in which countries have succeeded in reducing child labour with the help of IPEC. For example, in Bangladesh, five years ago 50 percent of factories in the garment industry were employing children. Now we managed to withdraw many children from factories and reduce this figure to just 2 percent. This was achieved with the collaboration of the industry, in collaboration with local trade unions, and UN agencies such as UNICEF and ILO. Another example is the partnership created with the tobacco industry in several countries in east and south Africa. This partnership tackled child labour by analysing the situation of children workers in small farms and plantations, setting up schools and increasing attendance. The partnership also gave assistance to parents to help them improve their income situation.

A third example takes us to Central America where the fight against child labour is focused in agriculture sub-sectors such as the cultivation of coffee, bananas, vegetables (tomatoes, watermelons, etc). The efforts in this area are being made in the reduction of working hours of children, and to remove children from hazardous workplaces and get them into schools.

How can ILO and FAO jointly fight against child labour?

We are all working towards the same goal. FAO fights against poverty by raising nutritional levels and living standards, improving agricultural productivity and better the condition of rural people. This helps the situation of many parents to make working unnecessary for their children. The main factor of child labour is poverty. When parents are badly remunerated or don't have jobs, children must work to supplement family income. In many cases their survival and that of their family depends on it. Child workers are not able to attend school and in the long run, in adulthood, have less employment opportunities and insufficient income. FAO, in this sense can assist in enhancing agriculture productivity and technology and help organize communities to make sure that families can have enough income.

The FAO-UNESCO initiative Education for Rural People [for more information please read the August update] seeks the enhancement of education in rural areas to guarantee food security and poverty reduction through an increase in technical support towards countries willing to address the basic educational needs for rural people. This initiative is similar to the one being carried out between ILO, UNESCO, World Bank and UNICEF which seeks to bring to the attention of development and education ministers the importance of poverty reduction and combating child labour through education. Members of this group met two weeks ago in New Delhi, India.

How can the UN system Network on Rural Development and Food Security support the initiatives being carried out in the fight against child labour?

The UN system Network on Rural Development and Food Security can be of great help in several ways: It can support a coordinated approach towards tackling child labour in order to complement each others' work, and make sure that different angles are considered to achieve a holistic approach. This can help us deliver a strong message for advocating against poverty and hunger. At field level, the Network can also promote joint initiatives in the action against child labour in order to exchange experiences and enhance efforts. It can raise awareness regarding child labour, especially hazardous child labour, by reaching farmers and farm workers, agricultural extension officers, agricultural project personnel in countries, as well as teachers and communities themselves.

For more information on ILO's International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour please visit their site at: http://www.ilo.org/childlabour