Ethiopia: Bureau Urges United Action Against Child Labor Exploitation
All stakeholders and the public must decisively confront child labor exploitation and secure the rights of children, urged the Addis Ababa Labor and Skills Bureau.
The Bureau marked World Day Against Child Labor yesterday with a panel discussion themed “Let’s Accelerate Efforts to Stop Child Labor.”
The Bureau’s Employment and Labor Affairs Department Head Abebe Tekeba emphasized in his opening remarks that collaborative action is crucial to shield children from exploitation. He identified poverty, orphanhood, and illegal human trafficking as major drivers of child labor. “Exposure to labor robs children of education, stifles their ambitions, and leaves them vulnerable to mental health issues and extreme poverty,” Abebe stated.
The Bureau stressed the urgent need for joint efforts to safeguard vulnerable children from exploitative labor practices and uphold their fundamental rights. This appeal comes amid rising concerns about the prevalence of child labor in informal sectors and its long-term impact on children’s development and education.
Abebe further explained that child labor exploitation leads to mental and psychological trauma, negatively affecting both the nation’s economy and the next generation.
He also highlighted the importance of community awareness, robust legal enforcement, and coordinated interventions among government bodies, civil society organizations, and families to effectively tackle the issue.
The Addis Ababa Women and Children Affairs Bureau Senior Expert Elfinesh Negewo also echoed the call for community vigilance against child labor. She noted that children are predominantly exploited in domestic work, sex work, and weaving, underscoring the need for concerted efforts from all relevant parties to overcome these challenges.
Elfinesh believes that by fostering a strong sense of belonging and shared responsibility, communities can unite to oppose child labor exploitation and protect their children’s rights and futures.
She added that despite Ethiopia’s ratification of international laws protecting children’s rights, their implementation remains low, urging law enforcement agencies to fulfill their responsibilities.
By Ethiopian Herald.
