An Update on the Child Labour Education Tour

The report shows that back in 2022, Belize made moderate advancement in efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labour when G.O.B. approved its National Child Labour Policy and Strategy 2022 – 2025. It aims to eliminate the worst forms of child labour by 2025 and prioritizes addressing legislative and information gaps, increasing child labour law compliance, and reducing barriers to education. Since February of this year, a Child Labour Education tour began in the north where communities are engaged in sessions designed to advocate for and protect children’s rights.  Earlier today on Open Your Eyes morning show, we found out how practical it is to eradicate child labour by 2025.

Rissela Dominguez-Patt

Rissela Dominguez-Patt, Labour Commissioner

“It is very important for us to educate what child labour is and how you are exposing the child physically, mentally.”

Aida Reyes

Aida Reyes, Senior Labour Officer

“Child labour, it will affect the children’s development; education as well. We need to let the viewers understand that a child can also work but can do only light work, which is work that will not harm their health, their safety. It will not harm their ability to attend education and also they will be able to do other things, they will be able to exercise their rights as children. By our national child labour policy 2022 – 2025, our aim is to eradicate child labour by 2025. And our aim is that students have more access to education and also we want to ensure that the businesses, stakeholders are complying with the labour laws in regards to child labour. Currently, we are conducting child labour inspections in all sectors; we are conducting child labour education in all sectors. We are also – like for example, the government this year had free education in four schools; two in the Toledo district and Stann Creek. So the government is working hard to try to reduce child labour by 2025.”

Rissela Dominguez-Patt

“One of the outputs is build awareness; that is only one within the schools. To educate the students, the teachers and even parents because many times the reason why child labour exists is because we don’t know how the child is being affected. And so we need to ensure that everyone is aware because everyone plays a role. And so, if I know how child labour affects a child, then I will tell someone else you know what you are doing is not correct.”