Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum)

Supplementary Comments on Addressing Child Labour in Food Systems

Often, it has been pointed out that child labour occurs in several areas closely connected with agriculture. Therefore, it would be reasonable to include those in the current discussion. However, addressing the problem of child labour in agriculture and related pursuits requires one to look at the challenge from a food system perspective. This would enable one to approach the problem in an inclusive and holistic way.

These comments outline some of the difficulties that would have to be overcome before the successful field implementation of any programme/project could be carried out. Unless this is done, it is difficult to envisage how one may make significant inroads into a social inequity that has blighted many a young life. The following are the sub-systems constitutive of a food system in order of their emergence; their diversity arises purely from the technological differences among them.

• Yielder; the actual source of food, agriculture and environment.
• Harvesting; reaping, fishing etc.
• Transport; on a man’s back, refrigerated cargo vessles etc.
• Storage; family larder, grain silos etc.
• Preservation; any process intended to extend the period of safe usability of food.
• Preparation; process of making food items fit for an end-user’s consumption.
• Supplementation; restoration of depleted ecosystems services through the use of fertilisers, weeding, biocides, irrigation etc.
• Selling; retail or wholesale vending, also includes that of prepared food as in cafes and restaurants. This sub-system may include one or more of its own sub-systems:

1. Sorting.
2. Packing/packaging.
3. Promotion using audio/visual propaganda.
4. Speculation; commodity futures, withholding the release of surplus items to keep up the prices etc.

Observation reveals that child-labour occurs in every sub-system except in IV above. In affluent countries, children appear in advertisements included in III, which some may claim to be a benign form of child-labour to promote items less than benign to their consumers. Many contributors have described child-labour as it is found in those sub-systems of a food system.

Here, addressing the present problem faces two distinct challenges:

• Could one succeed in solving the problem in a country by undertaking a variety of appropriate local actions?
• If not, what other steps ought to be taken to ensure success?

It may seem easy to answer the first question by limiting oneself to food systems. Meanwhile, the justifiable purpose of a food system is to enable the end-users to procure a sustainable supply of affordable  and wholesome food needed for a balanced diet. Should one avoid emotional reactions to the phenomenon, exclusion of child-labour from food systems is a question of ethics and social equity, and as such calls for the intervention of other domains.

Some may argue that food and agriculture authorities could ban child-labour in food systems. But, the legislation required to make this law of the land calls for a majority in a country’s legislature which does not seem to be the easiest of tasks, for it involves protracted negotiations among diverse interests.  These include political groupings representing trade and industry, transportation etc.

Moreover, confining one’s efforts to agriculture could not deal with child-labour, because it occurs in most sub-systems in a food system. In addition to poverty and hunger, the unscrupulous prefer child-labour in food systems in order to increase their profits. This requires unequivocal and prompt legal action. Although not exhaustive, these are some of the difficulties associated with the first challenge.

As for the second, the necessity of involving the judiciary has already been mentioned. Dealing with poverty among the employees of a food system calls for a devolved and cooperative operation of food systems while it would also ameliorate hunger and inappropriate nutrition. But such a change in food systems can hardly be undertaken without the involvement of the domains like trade and industry, finance etc.

These comments must not be construed as a prediction of futility; they merely point out some crucial aspects of the problem that would repay careful attention. In his first contribution to this discussion, the present writer has described them in greater detail. It differs from other suggestions in that it provides a template into which all elements of a food system may seamlessly fit at national, regional and most importantly, at local level.

Best wishes!

Lal Manavado.

Child labour is a huge problem in Pakistan. Poor families in this part of the world generally having more children than rich families. Due to the very high costs of food, education and clothes, the poor families are not able to send their children to schools. Unfortunately here schools for poor and rich peoples are different. Because of the food security issue and no financial support to poor families by the government, child labour is imporant for poor families. Here the elder labour (2-3 elders per family) is not sufficient to feed their big families because of the higher food (items) prices. Therefore, for the sustainbility point of view child labour is must for the support of poor & joint family system. 

Moreover, the high cost of agriculture inputs (tractor, chemicals etc.) the child labour is also dominant in agriculture sector. The childs are mostly involved in weeding, grass cutting for animals, and grazing livestock etc. in villages, But due to the COVID the number of child beggers has increased significnatly in towns. 

The UN organizations must help and support the poor families to stop child labour and send their children to schools in low income countries. Poor policies or no policies regarding the child labour is also a big issue. The policies regarding child labour must be designed according to the need of each country. 

As their is huge gap in crop yield, in my opinion best agronomic practices (including high yielding varites etc, ) could increase crop productivity per unit area will definetely reduce the food security issue. Reduction in food insecurity could reduce the costs of foods items and will definitely reduce the child labour in agriculture sector, thanks.

Child labour in Kenya is one of the common things that happen both in towns and villages, the community has perceved it has normal thing. This situation is infact getting more stronger due to outbreak of COVID-19 where parents/guardians lack money to buy basic things like food,clothing and shelter.This as a result forced a child to go and hustle to make the ends meet thus leading to more negative activities.We the learned youths have taken the initiative of revolutionising the farming sector by employing both minds and machines. 50% of our output from the farm goes to vulnerable childrens through schools, churches and orphanages and addressing the matter openly both at grassroots level and through social media handles thus bringing a sustainable future that is free from child labour.

Child labour and forced labour affect the most vulnerable and least protected people, perpetuating a vicious cycle in which poverty drives a continued lack of social and economic insecurity, which reinforces poverty and social injustice. Such a situation must not continue. Freedom from child labour and all forms of forced labour – as well as freedom from discrimination and freedom to organize and bargain collectively - are fundamental principles and rights at work and the keystones of social justice and peace. The global community has clearly acknowledged that the persistence of child labour and forced labour in the 21st century is unacceptable and renewed its commitment in the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to eliminate all forms of child labour by 2025 and forced labour by 2030.

These ambitious targets can be achieved if the right conditions are established to tackle the root causes of child labour and forced labour, as well as their consequences. Strong political will, better designed and integrated policies and more concerted action have already led to a marked acceleration of progress against child labour, especially from 2008-2012. But the pace of change must be faster still if the global community is to live up to these commitments. Today’s hard question is: How will we do this? The IPEC+ Flagship seeks to ensure ILO leadership in global efforts - in partnership with others to achieve this goal

Not withstanding the above, harnessing the rural economy’s potential to create decent and productive jobs and shared prosperity is imperative to achieving sustainable development and equitable economic growth. However, rural areas in many economies and in all regions are characterized by significant decent work deficits. Unions therefore cannot pretent not to notice what is happening. It is therefore important to note that the employment of children deprives adults of employment and once children cannot be unionised the union membership is reduced. GAWU as a Union is therefore committed to the tenants of decent work and has an objective of creating and operating within child labour free zones.

GAWU has been invited under the Auspices of the ILO, East Africa Trade Union Confederation (EATUC), the ELCT Geneva, the UN Rapporteur on Human Trafficking, Modern Slavery and Forced, the University of Durham DEMAT project, the Global March Against Child Labour to share her experience with the ILO, UN and also provide guidance support for replication by Trade Unions from East and Southern African Countries on its efforts at eliminating child labour. Other Universities from Denmark have also made Kpando Torkor project site an international centre of learning for their students who want to get better understanding of GAWU operations of promoting decent work within the Agricultural Value Chain in Ghana

Meeting the global challenge of eradicating child labour and modern slavery requires tackling the root causes of social injustice - which are almost always related to violations of other fundamental rights at work and are most prevalent in the rural and informal economy. It is against this backdrop GAWU initiated various child labour strategies using an integrated area based approach to eliminate child labour and create child labour free zones, as well as the Torkor model, which seeks to address the key components of SDG target 8.7, on forced labour, modern slavery, human trafficking and migration. The model thus uses Torkor as an entry point to address the endemic nature of child labour on the volta lake by applying its three (3) components; (1) Organization of informal workers, (2) Social mobilization through capacity building and sensitization and (3) Knowledge sharing.

Kindly find here attached the submission form from Tanzania.

Regards, 

William Mallya

Please kindly find attached the completed template on Ending Child Labour in Agriculture.

Bonjour FORUM

Recevez en annexe le formulaire de contribution pour le Forum 2021

Saluations

José Mora N'SUM-NE  

Attached is my submission,

thanks

david stephen

Please find attached our completed Call for Action Application form. IIECL would be very interested in partnering with FAO on the implementation of strategic actions to end child labor in agriculture. As you will see from the submission, since its inception, IIECL has committed 100% of its efforts toward ending child labor in the US and worldwide, but particularly in agriculture.

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

With regards,

Lynda D. Mull

Dear FAO colleagues of the Inclusive Rural Transformation and Gender Equity Division,

We’re pleased to share Save the Children contribution to the Call for action “ending child labour in agriculture with the help of agricultural stakeholders” released by FAO.

With our application we’ve aimed to provide a quite specific and practical contribute by focussing on Save the Children experience in Cote d’Ivoire, hoping this will be helpful to inform the ongoing global discussion.

Thank you very much for this initiative,

Best,

Patrizio