Government launches offensive against child labour

Cameroon as all other countries of the world has decided to take the bull by the horns, to put an end to all forms of slavery, trafficking and work, harmful to the physical and mental health of children.

Especially as the national survey on child labour in 2010, by the national Institute of statistics revealed that 27.9% of children aged 5 to 17 are forced to work. 4.4% perform dangerous work and 71% are exploited in agriculture, fishing, hunting, mostly in rural areas.

To reduce the phenomenon to its simplest expression, the country has ratified all the conventions related to it and is committed to implement the national plan of action for the elimination of the worst forms of child labour.

In this momentum, the Prime Minister, head of Government, created in August 2014, the national Steering Committee to combat child labour. The members from several jurisdictions, workers and civil society organizations have been designated.

They participated since yesterday and until tomorrow, in a skills-building workshop, conducted by experts from the Ministry of labour and social security and those of the international labour office, so they have tools to review control strategies and propose to the Government concrete measures to eradicate the phenomenon.

Minister of labour and social security, Grégoire Owona, recalled «it is a quest to eradicate child labour by the year 2017» This is an international commitment that Cameroon has taken.

The national Steering Committee has been set up and should not only think theories and policies, but concrete actions so that this deadline of 2017 can be met.