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This report provides realistic and concrete examples of how to tackle and eliminate - within our lifetime - the cancer that is hazardous and exploitative child labour. Caution - Children at Work calls attention to the institutional commitments and priorities outlined in CARE’s Organizational Policy Regarding Working Children and Hazardous Child Labor, adopted in 2006. The theme of “galvanising communities to end child labour” resulted from a strategic review of interventions to combat hazardous and exploitative child labor around the world - specifically, the significant contributions made by local communities. CARE believes these experiences can significantly increase the collective understanding of the problem. Child labour and its associated problems cannot be considered in isolation. They must be addressed by holistic interventions that focus on the cross-cutting dimensions of child labour, and that articulate a common vision of success. This report is divided into three sections. Section I: Framing the Debate explores why a practice that has generated universal condemnation is still so prevalent in societies. It examines the global community’s response to child labor, focusing on the development of international labor standards and the role education systems have played. It also explores the idea that poor quality education reinforces a belief among marginalised families that education is not useful or relevant to them. This section highlights the root causes of rural child labor. It stresses the idea that focusing interventions on rural-based forms of child labor, especially agriculture, can directly impact the number of children at risk for, or engaged in, the worst forms of child labour. Section II: Initiating Action takes a results-oriented approach to examining various community-based strategies to empower change. At the heart of these strategies is the realisation that if communities are empowered with the necessary skills, they are their own best resource for addressing the participation of children in the labour market. This section shows that quality education significantly contributes to reducing child labour, especially when education systems are able to evolve to the meet the needs of those they aim to serve. Also examined are the dual roles women play in both exacerbating and mitigating rates of child labor, and the added value that youth participation for self-empowerment (YPS) strategies have on combating child labour. Section III: Empowering Our Futures investigates the ramifications and responsibilities associated with empowering communities. Advocacy for and by empowered communities has a ripple effect once change is set in motion. A set of key findings and recommendations in the final chapter of this report aims to shift attitudes and practices in favour of those that empower individual and collective action. Finally, a challenge is issued for a heightened sense of personal responsibility for actions that directly or indirectly influence rates of child labour. Further information
pdf: http://www.crin.org/docs/CautionChildrenatWork.pdf