Stakeholders have been urged to unite in their efforts to eliminate child labour in the country.
The charge was given by speakers at a seminar by the Oyo State Steering Committee on Child Labour in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. The final draft of the State Action Plan (SAP) on child labour elimination was presented at the event.
Speaking on Impact of child labour responses in agro communities, the Head of Leaf, British American Tobacco Nigeria (BATN), Oluwakayode Oshodi, decried the prevalence of child labour in the agricultural sector.
He attributed it to the limited understanding of the impact of child labour by the rural folks, which underscores the need for training and heightening their awareness on the malaise.
“The agricultural sector is one where child labour is prevalent. There is a thin line between helping a parent and exposing a child to child labour,” he said.
He noted that parents who engage their children and wards in child labour see it as a short-term and cost-saving benefit failing to realise the long-term effects.
Speaking on BATN efforts to eradicate child labour, he said the company always ensured that its farming partners and stakeholders understood the impact of their decisions on child labour. BATN also conducts regular spot checks on their farms to ascertain compliance with its child labour policy.
“We ask farmers to share with us evidence of the child’s school attendance and take steps to reward members who are compliant through our annual Farmers’ Productivity Awards,” he added.
The Chairman, Oyo State Steering Committee on Child Labour (SSCCL) and controller, Federal Ministry of Labour, Mr. Ogunbiyi Adewole,said the meeting was to validate the final draft on the state action plan on child labour elimination. He noted that the ministry and state government were working with stakeholders to achieve the mandate.
The Secretary, Oyo SSCCL, Marcus Williams, while giving a summary of the State Action Plan (SAP) on child labour, said it provides the roadmap for the National Policy on the Elimination of Child Labour in Oyo State.
He listed the key thematic areas of the plan as policy, legal framework and assessment; child protection; awareness campaign; monitoring and evaluation, among others.
On best practice on child labour elimination, Williams identified gradual integration of victims and rehabilitation as pivotal to the achievement of positive results.
“There is a lot that goes into re-integration of victims. Gradual integration is very important in the elimination of child labour. Therefore, stakeholders need to understand the dynamics of gradual integration and must work together in this regard,” he added.
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