he 134 representatives of the 246 million child
laborers from around 50 countries closed the first Children’s world congress on child
labor in Florence by reading out the final statement in different languages. They called on governments to protect them from “child trafficking, sexual exploitation, working on fishing boats, cleaning machinery, selling goods on the streets or in markets, pornography, rubbish collection, work in the transport sector or delivery services, making bricks, demolition work, the manufacture of medical equipment and other dangerous materials, drug trafficking, domestic
labor, slave labor, work in the agricultural sector, in mines, in carpet-making, as soldiers, work in factories or in small laboratories.”
Protect these children from child trafficking, sexual exploitation, working on fishing boats, cleaning machinery, selling goods on the streets or in markets, pornography, rubbish collection, work in the transport sector or delivery services, making bricks, demolition work, the manufacture of medical equipment and other dangerous materials, drug trafficking, domestic labor, slave labor, work in the agricultural sector, in mines, in carpet-making, as soldiers, work in factories or in small laboratories.
Overall, the Congress – organized by the association ‘Mani Tese’ and the trades union confederations – was declared “a success”, but the final document was emphatic: “Some of our important representatives are missing. These boys and girls were chosen to take part in the Congress, but they were unable to obtain the visas needed to enter Italy because the Italian government thought that they presented a security risk and that some of them were too young”.
The children who were not authorized to participate “felt extremely discriminated against”; “Children’s rights can only be recognized in a situation of peace. Peace is the most basic human right. We must ask ourselves why not everybody is able to enjoy something as important as this. Instead, by living in peace every child not only has the possibility of seeing his rights respected but also a better chance of improving the world for his generation and generations to come.”
In the final statement, most former child laborers said that “they are losing confidence in their governments due to their empty promises”. While governments spend a large amount of money on arms and war, “there are still children who are unable to read and write. They do not have a roof over their heads, or food to eat. Governments need to make children’s needs a priority and include children as a priority and provide everything needed for their survival in respect of their rights. Since it is up to governments to protect our rights, end child labor and provide free, equal and quality education, we have numerous requests for governments.”
Here are their demands: governments must “listen to children” and include them “in the decisions that concern our existence”; “punish child labor and never criminalize the children”, who must be supported “in any legal proceedings, and guaranteed access to free legal assistance”; “combat child trafficking”; “guarantee compulsory, good quality and free education. Schools must have valid, fully qualified teachers, who are also better paid”; “Education must be available to all children regardless of sex, race, economic condition, religion, place of birth, nationality, caste, disability, membership of an indigenous population or language”; “Promote adult employment”; “Create a national action plan to end child labor”; “Ensure that aid for development is used as intended rather than getting into the wrong hands”; Create a labeling system for products that are not manufactured using child labor”.
The ex child laborers called on governments to work together and “with civil society and trades unions so that their measures might be as effective as possible”. At the end of the statement, the children also reiterated their own commitment to eliminating child labor by “promoting initiatives to raise awareness about child laboring our communities and villages”, “working on a national level to create a Children’s Parliament in every country”; “creating a network of children in order to stay in touch and receive information about this matter all over the world”.
The children then pointed to “the use of art, music, dance and acting as a form of expression and a means of spreading awareness about child labor” and to “our media, such as newspapers, conceived by children for children, which allow us to express our opinions freely”. The document ends: “Today power is in our hands, we are the future.”
(From MISNA)