Pope warns those who force
children into slavery
Children labour in Afghanistan.- AFP |
On World Day Against Child Labour, June 12, Pope Francis
tweeted against those who rob children of the joys of childhood, forcing them
into hazardous jobs.
By Robin Gomes
As the world marked the United Nation’s World Day Against
Child Labour on Tuesday, Pope Francis came out strongly against the scourge,
denouncing those who shatter the hopes of the little ones.
“Children must be able to play, study and grow in a peaceful
environment. Woe to anyone who stifles their joyful impulse to hope!” the Pope
warned in a post on his Twitter account @Pontifex.
International Labour Organization
The UN’s International Labour Organization (ILO) instituted
the annual observance in 2002 to focus attention on the global extent of child
labour and the action and efforts needed to eliminate it.
This Year the World Day Against Child Labour and the April
28 World Day for Safety and Health at Work, shine a spotlight on the
global need to improve the safety and health of young workers and end child
labour.
The joint campaign aims to accelerate action to achieve safe
and secure working environments for all workers by 2030 and ending all forms of
child labour by 2025, which are part of the 8th Sustainable
Development Goal (SDG).
152 million victims of child labour
Worldwide 218 million children between 5 and 17 years are in
employment. Of these, 152 million are victims of child labour; almost
half of them (73 million) work in hazardous child labour.
These children toil in mines and fields, factories and
homes, are exposed to pesticides and other toxic substances, or carry heavy
loads or work long hours. Many of them work in slave-like conditions and
are forced into illicit activities such as drug trafficking, prostitution and
armed conflict. They risk lifelong physical and psychological consequences.
Pope Francis’ warning
Pope Francis has repeatedly called on the international
community to eradicate the scourge of child labour. During his general
audience on June 11, 2014, he held up an ILO’s red booklet like a
referee’s red card with the word’s “All together against child
labour,” written on it.
The previous year, on June 12, 2013, World Day
Against Child Labour, the Pope during his general audience denounced
the exploitation of children in domestic work as “a true slavery”.
“All children,” he said, “must be able to play, study, pray
and grow in their own families, and this in a harmonious context of love and
serenity.”
The Pope’s Tuesday tweet is an echo of his warning of June
13, 2013, against those who stifle the hope of children.
The Pope said that it is a scourge that many people instead
of letting children play make slaves of them. “A serene childhood allows
children to look forward with confidence to life and the future.” “Woe to those
who stifle their joyful impulse of hope!” the Pope warned.
Child labour can be eradicated
Kailash Sathyarthi, who was awarded Nobel Peace Prize
in 2014 for his efforts against child labour, believes it is possible to
eradicate child labour.
At a recent ILO discussion online, he said that everyone
should regard child labour as his or her personal problem, not someone
else’s. Governments and society must be made to feel its urgency, and
not wait for others to combat it. Satyarthi said that for the past 40
years he has regarded every child his own.
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