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| Sunday, 21 December 2003 |
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Our Constitution protects children from abuses - Bradman Weerakoon by E. Weeraperuma Secretary to the Prime Minister Bradman Weerakoon stressed the importance of protecting children from being forced to work, and pointed out that the Constitution of Sri Lanka guaranteed children against illtreatment, abuse, negligence and forced labour. Mr. Weerakoon delivered the keynote address at the workshop on 'Elimination of the Worst forms of Child Labour' held at the Ceylon Continental Hotel, Colombo on Thursday. At the workshop organised by the ILO-IPEC, A book on Sri Lanka: Child Domestic Labour, Rapid Assessment Report was launched by ILO Colombo Office Director Ms. Claudia Coenjaerts. Chief guest Mr. Weerakoon further stressed the need to formulate a Policy and Action Plan. "Although we want to eliminate all child labour and though desirable, it was impossible to achieve. While stating that action should be taken to eliminate the worst forms of child labour he said that for the present other forms of labour could be tolerated in the case of poor countries where children are still a source of income generation for the family. After 50 years of independence, 22 per cent of our population is yet below the poverty line and poverty demands children to work", he added. He also said that while Chapter III of the 1978 Constitution refers to the rights of the child and the draft Constitution of the year 2000, had included Special Rights of Children and added that as those below 18 are considered children, they could not be employed in any hazardous activity. The Constitution guarantees them protection from illtreatment, abuse, neglect or degradation and the right to free education. If children go to school, no child would be working Mr. Weerakoon said. While pointing out that there was a distinction between "work" and "labour", Mr Weerakoon said that child labour was many-sided and multi-dimensional and that action should be taken to eliminate the worst forms of child labour. We have also to deal with child soldiers, a byproduct of war. He also directed the attention of the participants at the workshop to the need of a Policy and Action Plan. He identified the Normative, Legislative, The Institutional and Supportive Environment as the four very fundamental elements of policy framework and said that the country needed durable peace. "During the past two years we had peace and we have to build on peace, a durable peace - to implement our action plan to reduce poverty". Welcoming the delegates at the Workshop ILO Colombo Office Director Ms. Claudia Coenjaerts said that child labour in Sri Lanka was a manageable problem. "Sri Lanka is a case in point where child labour is, if I may call it that without being misunderstood, a manageable problem. That is to say, it is possible to set ourselves the goal of eradicating child labour within a certain time frame. The government is committed, so much is clear. The two main conventions have been ratified. The Ministry of Employment and Labour has taken its role seriously and dedicatively", she said. Referring to the Report launched, Ms. Coenjaerts observed that child domestic work was a difficult area to work on. "Although it is difficult "Indications are that since the National Child Protection Authority, came into being, much progress has been made", she said. |
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