By Rosalia Kapiri

Lilongwe, June 19, Mana: Minister of Labour, Peter Dimba has called for urgent action to eradicate child labour, describing it as a national crisis that demands collective responsibility.

Speaking on Thursday during a press briefing ahead of the commemoration of World Day Against Child Labour set for June 21 at Madziamera Primary School in Machinga, Dimba said despite registering some progress, the country is still far from meeting Sustainable Development Goal Target 8.7, which aims at ending child labour in all its forms by 2025.

“Have we achieved Target 8.7 to eradicate forced labour and the worst forms of child labour? The answer is No.  Children in child labour are denied the right to education, physical and mental well-being,” said Dimba.

Dimba disclosed that 38 percent of Malawian children aged 5 to 17, about 2 million, were still in child labour, mostly in agriculture and domestic work.

He said Malawi has ratified key international labour conventions and joined global partnerships such as Alliance 8.7 and the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection to intensify its fight against child labour.

The minister also announced that a toll-free line for reporting child labour cases will soon be launched to promote public involvement in combating the malpractice.

Executive Council Member of the Employers Consultative Association of Malawi (ECAM), George Matipwiri emphasized the role of employers in ending child labour.

“As employers, we have been engaging in intensive civic education. We are making sure that every employer appreciates that child labour is an evil that should not be condoned in any employment.

“We are working together with government and the Malawi Congress of Trade Union to ensure that we eradicate labour for these children,” said Matipwiri.

Activities to raise awareness during the commemoration will include drama, poetry, traditional dances and speeches.

This year’s commemoration theme is: ‘Progress is clear, but there’s more to do: Let’s speed up efforts.’