Summary: This workshop brought together trade
unions and NGOs to explore approaches
to the elimination of child labour and
to identify common ground. To ensure a
global dialogue, unions and NGOs from
both the North and the South
participated in equal numbers.
This workshop was sponsored by the Department for International
Development, (DFID) as part of its programme of activities on child
labour. The workshop was organised with the assistance of Labour and
Society International (LSI).
DFID has recently published a white paper on International
Development which lays out policies to halve world poverty by the
year 2015. This is a bold target, but one the Department is fully
committed to achieving. Child labour has been identified by the
Department as one of several priority areas for focus.
This workshop brought together trade unions and NGOs to explore
approaches to the elimination of child labour and to identify common
ground. To ensure a global dialogue, unions and NGOs from both the
North and the South participated in equal numbers. The workshop was
organised at a time when a child labour convention was being
discussed at the ILO Conference in Geneva and attention focused on
the issue by the Global March Against Child Labour. The march was a
joint initiative of NGOs and unions to focus attention on child
labour and to campaign together for a future without child labour.
Workshop Aims
The aims of the workshop were:
to provide an exchange of ideas between North and South participants.
to promote an understanding among participants of the issues
associated with child labour and its eradication.
to develop an appreciation of the development implications of the
eradication of child labour.
to recognise the positions and responsibilities of the actors who can
make a contribution to the solution.
to critically assess work carried out so far on local, national and
international level and discuss examples of working initiatives.
to raise awareness between trade unions and NGOs on common approaches
and strategies in eliminating child labour.
to provide an opportunity to strengthen co-operation and co-
ordination between participants on the issue of child labour and
identify strategic alliances for future work.
to draw up recommendations to be submitted to the ILO in preparation
for 1999 discussions on the new child labour convention.
to make programme recommendations to DFID.
Workshop Oganisation
The workshop was organised to promote discussion and dialogue between
participating organisations. Group discussions were used to do this
to explore differing attitudes to child labour and to identify how
trade unions and NGOs can work together. Plenary sessions consisted
of key note speeches and panel discussion. Space was created for
participants to suggest strategies and practical ideas as to how DFID
should develop its programme on child labour.
Owner: Department for International Development - (DFID)