May 3, 2018 - adults and youth. Unequal distribution of work within the household selected rights deficits. Right to foo
Session 14: Rights-based approaches to redress inequalities
Addressing Child Labour in Agriculture to Reduce Rural Poverty IFAD Conference Rome, 3 May 2018
What is child labour?
Is child labour a global issue? 2017 ILO Global Estimates AGRICULTURE
SERVICES
INDUSTRY
Child labour is overwhelmingly concentrated in agriculture and the numbers are rising: prevalence was 59% in 2012 and 71% in 2016
12% 17%
71%
number of child labourers in agriculture have increased from 98 to 108 million The majority of child labour (70%) is unpaid family labour.
Child labour is enshrined in several international instruments • a principle embodied in the Constitution of the International Labour Organisation • one of the organization’s four fundamental principles and rights at work ILO C138 & ILO C182
• other international human rights treaties including, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights the International Covenant on Social, Economic and Cultural rights.
• A dedicated target of the SDGs - SDG 8.7
Child labour perpetuates rights deficits in rural areas POVERTY & HUNGER IN RURAL AREAS
VICIOUS CYCLE
OVER THE INDIVIDUAL LIFE CYCLE AND WITHIN THE COLLECTIVE RURAL COMMUNITY
LOW AGRICULTURAL
SUPPLEMENTING/ SUBSTITUTING ADULTS
PRODUCTIVITY OF AGRICULTURE AND LOW PERFORMANCE OF RURAL ECONOMIES
CHILDREN ENTER THE LABOUR FORCE, MOSTLY WORST FORMS OF CHILD LABOUR
REDUCED CAPACITY OF COMMUNITIES TO INNOVATE AND RESPOND TO SHOCKS
LOW ADULT WAGES AND WEAK BARGAINING CAPACITY
CHILDREN
CHILDREN/YOUNG ADULTS TRAPPED IN UNSKILLED & PRECARIOUS LABOUR
LOW SCHOOL ENROLMENT AND REDUCED HEALTH OF CHILDREN
rural poverty & hunger; Shocks, conflicts, disasters limited access to quality education in rural areas; lack of enforcement of labour laws in agriculture; ingrained attitudes towards participation of children in agriculture; lack of decent work for adults and youth Unequal distribution of work within the household
selected rights deficits
Main drivers
Child labour derives from rights deficits in rural areas
Right to food Social protection Gender equality Child protection at large Decent work Etc.
A dual response
FAO’s response to child labour in agriculture
• Integrating agriculture in policies and legislation addressing child labour • Incorporating child labour within relevant agriculture and food security policies and legislation
FAO’s examples of policy & legislative responses Integrating agriculture in policies and legislation addressing child labour
Incorporating child labour within relevant agriculture and food security policies and legislation
• Extend and apply labour law in agriculture settings • Promote access to quality education and relevant training in rural areas • Promote decent employment and apprenticeship schemes for rural youth
• FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries • International Code of Conduct on Pesticide Management. • Contract Farming (IFAD-FAOUNIDROIT legal guide) • Promote a culture of safe work in agriculture • Promote labour saving practices and technologies where feasible
Collaboration & Partnerships • At national level, collaboration across Ministries and policy areas is needed. E.g. Mali, roadmap on the worst forms of child labour • At national and international level, FAO partners with other key UN agencies and partners (e.g. UNICEF Lebanon) and is a leading partner of the International Partnership for Cooperation on Child Labour in Agriculture (IFAD, ILO, IUF, IFPRI)
Key messages
Legal obligations relating to eliminating child labour in agriculture can be found in a number of Conventions, guidelines and instruments.
Child labour in agriculture is a cross-cutting issue, deriving and generating rights deficits hampering rural development and efforts to redress inequalities.
Interministerial groups or national committees on child labour should include and reflect agriculture stakeholders.
Agricultural policies can directly and indirectly impact child labour elimination efforts (positively and negatively).
Investment in child labour elimination interventions may appear costly and lengthy, but letting child labour in agriculture unaddressed has a tremendous cost.
Thank you! Ariane Genthon FAO - Child Labour Expert
Take our free course! End child labour in agriculture http://www.fao.org/elearning/#/elc/en/course/CL
