By Winfrida Kamwana

Mchinji, September 1, Mana:  International Labour Organisation (ILO) says addressing decent work deficits can enhance efforts to end child labour and sexual harassment in the country.

The sentiments came to light Thursday during a meeting for different stakeholders under the District Child Labour Committee (DCLC).

The meeting highlighted progress made by Ministry of Labour and ILO Project dubbed ‘Addressing Decent Work Deficits and Improving Access to Rights in the Tobacco Sector (ADDRESS)’ in Mchinji.

According to the project’s Technical Officer, Gracious Ndalama, ADDRESS aims at promoting decent work and all principles of decent work in the districts where the project is being implemented.

“ADDRESS Project seeks to eliminate child labour, sexual harassment as well as promote awareness on the abolition of tenancy labour system in work sectors, especially the tobacco sector,” explained Ndalama.

The ADDRESS Technical Officer further stated that the project also promotes social dialogue between workers and their employers to create a safe working environment for both parties.

In his remarks, Malawi Congress of Trade Union (MCTU) Project Coordinator, Joseph Kankhwangwa, explained that since the project was introduced in the first phase, there has been positive change about addressing decent work shortfalls in areas where the organisation works.

“We have noted that in the first phase, school enrollment has increased and there has also been an increase in reporting forced labour and child labour cases. We take that as a positive impact of the project,” said Kankhwangwa.

One of the stakeholders involved in the same project, Centre for Youth Empowerment and Civic Education (CYECE), has been involved in school-feeding programmes.

These programmes increase school enrollment in primary schools so that children who reside in tobacco-growing areas remain in schools even during the tobacco growing season.

ADDRESS Project is implemented in four districts namely Kasungu, Mzimba, Lilongwe and Mchinji.

In Mchinji, the project is implemented in areas of traditional authorities Dambe and Mduwa.

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