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MALAWI CONFERENCE ON CHILD
LABOUR IN AGRICULTURE
Ministry of Labour
Malawi Crossroads Hotel, Lilongwe, 5-6th Sept. 2012
Bringing together government, labour, business, farmers, civil society,
international supporters and children to focus on solutions to child labour in
agriculture in Malawi and make the Child Labour National Action Plan a
reality
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The urgent fight against child labour in agriculture
Background
In many countries child labour is principally an agricultural issue. ILO
estimates that globally, 60 percent of all child labourers in the age
group 5 - 17 years work in agriculture, including farming, fishing,
aquaculture, forestry, and livestock1. This amounts to over 129 million
girls and boys
undertaking work that is
damaging to their
mental, physical and
emotional development.
The vast majority of
child labourers are
working on farms and
plantations, sowing,
cultivating, weeding and
harvesting crops,
spraying pesticides, fishing on vessels and in aquaculture, and tending
livestock as paid or unpaid labour. These boys and girls play an
important role in supplying some of the food and drink we consume,
and the fibers and raw materials we use to make other products. Child
labour in agriculture is not limited to export commodities such as
cocoa/chocolate, coffee, tea, sugar, fruits and vegetables, tobacco and
cotton, but it is often a feature of subsistence and small scale
agriculture whose produce is marketed locally.
1 ILO: Accelerating action against child labour – Global Report under the follow-up to the ILO Declaration on
Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work 2010 (Geneva, 2010).
2
Another important feature of child
labour is that it is also associated
with very early entry into work,
sometimes between 5 and 7 years of
age. It is therefore not surprising that
agriculture is one of the three most
dangerous sectors in terms of work-
related fatalities, non-fatal accidents
and occupational diseases for
children. About 59 percent (or 70
million) of all children in hazardous
work aged 5–17 years are in
agriculture globally.
2 http://www.fao.org/docrep/013/i2008e/i2008e07.pdf
Box 1 What is child labour?2
A child is defined as any person under 18 years of age. Child labour is defined based on a child’s age, hours
and conditions of work, activities performed and the hazards involved. Child labour is work that interferes with compulsory schooling and damages health and personal development.
Especially in the context of family farming and other rural family endeavours, it is important to recognize that
some participation of children in non-hazardous activities can be positive as it contributes to the inter-
generational transfer of skills and children’s food security.
The ILO Minimum Age for Employment Convention No. 138 (1973) (ratified by 156 countries) sets the
minimum age for children to work at 15 years of age in general (the convention allows for certain flexibilities in specific circumstances). For work considered hazardous, the age is 18.
The ILO Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention No. 182 (1999) (ratified by 173 countries) defines
worst forms of child labour as all forms of slavery, trafficking of children, forced recruitment for armed conflict, use of children in illicit activities, sexual exploitation, and
hazardous work. Hazardous work should be listed nationally. It is work which, by its nature or the
circumstances in which it is carried out, is likely to harm the health, safety or morals of children.
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Child labour persists in the agricultural sector even where it has been
outlawed. Progress in eliminating child labour in agriculture has been
slow due to the sector specificities. Limited coverage of agriculture
and family undertakings in national labour legislations, limited
unionization, fragmentation of the labour force, low capacity of labour
inspectors to cover remote rural areas, majority of child labourers
working as unpaid family labour without formal contracts, continuity
between rural household and the workplace, and traditions of children
participating in agricultural activities from a young age, make the
problem difficult to address.
It is widely accepted that agriculture needs to become a priority area
in child labour elimination if the United Nations Millennium
Development Goals and Education for All goals are to be achieved.
Ironically, if the MDGs and EFA are not achieved, child labour will
persist and may actually increase.
Malawi Conference on child labour in agriculture
According to the latest ILO estimates, Sub-Saharan Africa is the only
region where the number of children in employment actually
increased: from 49.3 million in 2004 to 58.2 million in 2008 (with an
increase in the activity rate from 26.4 to 28.4 percent). It is widely
acknowledged that this trend is due to the centrality of agriculture on
the economies of sub-Saharan countries.
In Malawi, agriculture is the backbone of the economy, providing
livelihood for 80% of Malawians and forming important
complementarities between production of cash and food crops. This
alone makes agriculture by far the most important economic activity
in the country. It is therefore no surprise that 53.5% of all child
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labourers in Malawi are in agriculture (including farming, forestry,
hunting and fishing)3.
The subsistence nature of agricultural production in Malawi suggests
that much power-driven equipment, sustainable crop processing
technologies and the cost of finance are beyond the reach of most
small-scale farmers. The
consequence is that in
order to expand their
production, farmers rely
on cheap child labour.
Often a whole family is
involved in cultivation and
harvesting. The main
drivers for child labour in
Malawi include:
Poverty;
The land tenure system;
Orphanhood; and
Lack of access to affordable quality education;
The Government of Malawi recognizes that agriculture needs to
become a priority area in child labour elimination at national and
sectoral level. For agricultural and rural development to be
sustainable, it cannot be based on the exploitation of children. On the
contrary, it should aim to create decent work opportunities. With this
aim, the Malawi Government has worked in partnership with the
International Labour Organization (ILO), Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for
Agricultural Development (IFAD), the International Food Policy 3 Malawi Child Labour Survey. 2002.
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Research Institute (IFPRI) of the Consultative Group on International
Agricultural Research (CGIAR), the International Federation of
Agricultural Producers (IFAP) and International Union of Food,
Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied
Workers Associations (IUF) to identify priority actions to address
child labour in agriculture in Malawi in the context of the National
Action Plan (NAP).
The Malawi Child Labour Conference builds on the work of
the International Partnership for Cooperation on Child Labour
in Agriculture in Malawi by bringing together government,
social partners, business, civil society and most importantly,
children, to contribute to a roadmap for implementing the
agricultural component of the Child Labour National Action
Plan for Malawi [2010-2016]
Building on the work of the International Partnership for Cooperation
on Child Labour in Agriculture in Malawi, the Malawi National Child
Labour Conference seeks to exchange knowledge on innovative
solutions to promote child labour elimination and decent work for
adults as part of sustainable agriculture. By incorporating the voice of
children, civil society and the private sector interests, the child labour
conference adopts multi-sectoral approach to developing a roadmap
for the implementation of the agricultural component of the NAP.
Malawi Taskforce
In the spirit of promoting tripartism and social dialogue in addressing
child labour in agriculture in Malawi, the Ministry of Labour formed a
taskforce comprising of, among others, UNICEF, Save the Children
Malawi, the Tea Association, Illovo Sugar Limited, FAO, the Ministry
of Agriculture and Food Security, the Ministry of Education, Limbe
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Leaf Tobacco Company, AllianceOne Tobacco, Japan Tobacco
International, Premium TAMA Tobacco Limited, Malawi Congress of
Trade Unions and Employers Consultative Association of Malawi.
The Malawi Taskforce has been at the forefront of steering the
preparations for the Malawi Child Labour Conference. The ILO, with
financial support from the Geneva-based Eliminating Child Labour in
Tobacco Growing (ECLT) Foundation, provided technical and policy
support to the Malawi Taskforce.
Child participation
To ensure genuine and
meaningful consultation
of children4 in line with
Article 12 of the United
Nations Convention on
the Rights of the Child5
(UNCRC) and in
recognition of the right
of the child to
participation as further
covered under Article 4
of the African Charter on
the Rights and Welfare of the Child6, a children’s conference will be
held to inform the main conference deliberations and conclusions
thereof.
4 Malawi has ratified both the UNCRC and the ACRWC 5 States Parties shall assure to the child who is capable of forming his or her own views the right to express
those views freely in all matters affecting the child, the views of the child being given due weight in accordance
with the age and maturity of the child. 6 In all actions concerning the child undertaken by any person or authority the best interests of the child shall be
the primary consideration.
2. In all judicial or administrative proceedings affecting a child who is capable of communicating his/her own
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Conference Theme
The conference will run under the theme ‘End child labour in
agriculture! Our children, our future’.
Objectives of the Malawi National Child Labour Conference
1. To exchange and share good practices on the elimination of
child labour in agriculture;
2. To share and adopt or endorse prioritized actions to better
integrate child labour in
agriculture in Malawi in
the context of the
National Action Plan;
and
3. To contribute to a
roadmap, with specific
commitments,
responsibilities and
concrete actions and
milestones for the
implementation and
realization of the
agriculture component
of the Child Labour National Action Plan for Malawi by 2016.
views, and opportunity shall be provided for the views of the child to be heard either directly or through an
impartial representative as a party to the proceedings, and those views shall be taken into consideration by the
relevant authority in accordance with the provisions of appropriate law.
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Expected outcomes of the Malawi Child Labour Conference
1. Best practices
from various agricultural
sectors inform the Roadmap
for the elimination of child
labour in agriculture in
Malawi within the context of
the Child Labour National
Action Plan for Malawi
[2010-2016]; and
2. Commitment of
government, social partners,
business and civil society to
mutually reinforcing specific
actions, timelines and
responsibilities for the
realization of the agricultural
component of the Child
Labour National Action Plan
for Malawi [2010-2016].
Logistics
The work of organizing for the Malawi Child Labour Conference is
underway, with several processes being finalized. The event will take
place at Crossroads Hotel, Lilongwe, Malawi, from 5th
to 6th
September, 2012. Pre-consultative meetings to formally conclude the
social dialogue processes and the Children’s training workshop will
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take place between 0830hrs and 1430 hrs on 4th September 2012. The
official opening and reception will be held on that day (4th September
2012) at 1500 hrs.
It is anticipated that 250 participants (possibly up to 300) will attend
the conference, including children, invited speakers and observers.
The conference will include participants from within and outside
Malawi.
The conference working language is English.
A draft budget has been drawn on the basis of an anticipated number
of 250 participants. Supported by the ECLT Foundation, the
conference budget provides for full board for all delegates for the
duration of the conference, and conference facilities. International
delegates are expected to fund their visa and travel expenses.
Delegates will be requested to register their participation and obtain
conference documents on the following link
http://www.malawichildlabourconference.com/ after 15th August 2012
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Official opening by HE Joyce Banda, President of the Republic of
Malawi
In a show of high-level political
commitment towards the issue of child
labour in agriculture in Malawi, the
President of the Republic of Malawi, HE
Joyce Banda, is scheduled to open the
Malawi Child Labour Conference on 4th
September 2012.
Her Excellency Joyce Banda,
President of the Republic of
Malawi
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Draft Programme
Day 1 Preconsultative meetings (0800hrs – 1430hrs)
Formal closure of consultations: facilitated by ECAM and MCTU.
Children’s preparatory workshop: facilitated by the Ministry of
Gender and Children’s Affairs, Save the Children, Plan International,
YONECO and UNICEF.
Day 1 Official Opening and reception (1500 hrs – 1930 hrs).
Official opening
Address by a representative of the International
Partnership on Cooperation on Child Labour in
Agriculture in Malawi
Address by President of ECAM, Mr. Buxton Kayuni
Address by the President of MCTU, Mr. Luther
Mambala
Address by the ILO/ UN Resident Representative
Address by the President of the ECLT Foundation
Address by US Department of Labour Representative
Address by the Minister of Labour, Hon. Makangala,
MP
Official Opening by Her Excellency Mrs. Joyce
Banda, the President of the Republic of Malawi
o Drinks and snacks, entertainment.
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Day 2 5th
September 2012 (full day 0800 to 1700 hours)
Setting the tone
Welcome remarks, restatement of conference structure and objectives
by Conference Chairman. Presentation of technical reports.
Parallel Workshops
The stakeholders in Malawi have developed research and working
papers on themes that are relevant to child labour in agriculture in
Malawi. The research papers are discussion-starters, highlighting
what works in ending child labour in Malawi, the key areas of concern
and the key messages for action by different actors to end child labour
in agriculture in Malawi. The themes are:
The nature and complexity of child labour in Malawi;
Agricultural development and child labour in Malawi;
The role of stakeholders in combating child labour in
agriculture Malawi; and
Child labour and political will in Malawi.
After presentations of a summary of thematic papers by Malawi
stakeholders, participants will break into four parallel workshops.
Each workshop will focus on one of the themes above. The parallel
workshops will focus on the key concerns in addressing child labour
in agriculture in Malawi today, and will bring to the discussion
different experiences and expertise from national and organizational
perspectives. The aim of each parallel workshop will be to transform
the key concern into key messages and plans of action for sustainable
responses to end child labour in agriculture in a time-bound, coherent,
comprehensive and sustainable manner.
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Each workshop will have a rapporteur whose role is to summarize the
deliberations of each workshop and present to the plenary.
Sectoral strategies
The key agricultural sub-sectors in Malawi, including tobacco, tea,
sugar, fisheries and livestock will break into sub-sectoral groups to
discuss in detail the child labour situation in their supply chains, map
out strategies and priorities in line with the National Action Plan on
Child Labour in Malawi.
The reports of the 4 parallel workshops and sub-sectoral strategies will
be presented in plenary, discussed and commented on by experts,
advocates and stakeholders to support the development of the
outcome document of the conference and update the List of Priority
Actions for better addressing child labour in Agriculture in
Malawi.
Day 3 6th
of September 2012 (Half day)
Plenary discussion, recommendations and conclusions
Summary of the discussions and way forward – ILO
This session provides a summary of the conference outcomes and the
agenda for taking the conference resolutions forward.
Adoption of the List of Priority Actions for better addressing child
labour in Agriculture in Malawi
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The International Partnership for Cooperation on Child Labour in
Agriculture, with the input of the Government of Malawi, has already
produced a draft document that will be updated with sub-sectoral
priorities at the Malawi Child Labour
Conference.
Presentation of the outcome document
on collective commitments to end child
labour in agriculture in Malawi – PS of
Labour
This session will present the conference
communique on collective commitments
to end child labour in agriculture in
Malawi – Min of Labour
Closing ceremony – Minister of Labour
This will mark the official closing of the conference.
For more information, contact:
Government of Malawi, Ministry of Labour
Linda Kawamba - Industrial Relations Specialist
Mail : [email protected]
Phone : +265 88 4 340 206
Paul Mkupa Gondwe - Head of Child Labour Unit
Mail : [email protected]
Phone : +265 999 510 762
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Conference supported by:
Working together to end child labour in tobacco growing
14 rue Jacques Dalphin
Carouge
1227 Geneva
Switzerland
Website: www.eclt.org
Email: [email protected] Phone + 41 (0) 22 306 14 44
Technical and policy support provided by:
4 route des Morillons
CH-1211 Genève 22
Switzerland
Switchboard: +41 (0) 22 799 6111
Fax: +41 (0) 22 798 8685
Website: www.ilo.org
E-mail: [email protected]