Manila - A
group of children on Labor Day, May 1, challenges the country’s next political
leaders to improve their living condition and keep them out of hazardous work
by providing their parents with decent and productive jobs. The group further
urge candidates to bare their plans to help the country achieve its commitment
to reducing the number of children engaged in the worst form of child labor by
at least 75% in 2015.
According to “Bata
Muna: Bumoto para sa Kapakanan ng mga Bata” campaigners, children suffer most
if their parents are unemployed or underemployed. “As a result of parents’
unemployment or underemployment, children at a very young age are forced to
find jobs to help augment the needs of the family,” says Anna Lindenfors,
Country Director of Save the Children in the Philippines.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) reports that more
than 200 million children in the world engage in various forms of child labor.
They work in hazardous environment, toil extremely long hours, and suffer from
slavery and servitude. They are coerced to participate in prostitution, cyber
pornography, drug trafficking, armed conflict, and other illicit activities.
In the Philippines, the 2011 Survey on Children of the National
Statistics Office (NSO) said that the number of children engaged in hazardous
work alone increased by 25% from 2.2 million in 2001 to 3 million in 2011,
representing about 10% of the more than 29 million children aged 5-17.
“Hazardous work harms children’s health, safety or morals such
as the case of children working in mines and deep sea fishing. They may
be directly exposed to hazards such as sharp tools or poisonous chemicals,”
says Lindenfors.
“While other hazards for child laborers may be less apparent
such as the risk of abuse or problems resulting from long hours of work – still
these put children in vulnerable situations,” adds Lindenfors.
Child laborers are indeed trapped in vulnerable situations. Even
if they want to get away from their labor condition, there are no real and
acceptable alternatives to improve their family’s state of living available to
them.
“Child labor is rooted in poverty and lack of decent and
productive work. The next leaders of this country must recognize and address
the root causes of child labor. We cannot effectively address the problem of
child labor unless decent work is made available to parents and caretakers. If
the employment opportunities are addressed, children will no longer be forced
to work and will remain in school,” explains Magnolia Jacinto, Acting Regional
Coordinator of Asia Against Child Trafficking (Asia ACTs).
“Children engaged in child labor are denied the chance to enjoy
their childhood because they are burdened with financial woes. We are hoping
that the future leaders will look at economic and social policies and actions
that will create opportunities for parents, thereby fostering an enabling
environment for children,” adds Hazel Bitaña, Regional Trainer of Asia ACTs.
Meanwhile, a recent survey conducted by Children Youth
Organization (CYO), an organization of more than 180 children below 17 years
old in Bagong Silang, Caloocan City, revealed that 50% of children in their
community who are engaged in collecting paper and plastic scraps in streets to
earn money belong to big families and have 4 to 6 siblings. Also, more than
half of them are aware that child labor is prohibited under Philippines law and
yet 72% of them still choose to work to help augment the earnings of their family.
These children also complain of getting tired, getting bruises, being ashamed
and envious of other children.
These children demand the government to provide their parents,
especially parents who did not finish their education, with jobs to keep them
from that kind of work.
“While the next political leaders will pave the way for a better
life for children and their families, your votes can make it happen. You must
choose leaders who will stand up and fight for their rights,” says
Lindenfors.
To guide the voters in choosing these leaders, Bata Muna came up with a checklist that will
help voters identify pro-children candidates. In the checklist, a
pro-children candidate must have a concrete platform that advances the rights
of children, especially the most vulnerable children; must have already stood
up for children and their rights and continues to do so; must value children’s
involvement and participation; one who thinks and acts independently for
the good of the majority, especially of children; must not be corrupt; must
have no record of or has not violated any children’s rights and human rights
violations; and must be progressive – one who thinks of the present and the
future generations. (with report
by Becky D. de Asis)
