AMMAN — A number of factors
are contributing to a rise in child labor, Ministry of Labor officials warn,
one of which is the
COVID-19 pandemic.
اضافة اعلان
In a press statement on the
occasion of
World Children’s Day, which Jordan marks alongside the world on
November 20, the ministry renewed calls on parents, schools, and employers,
among others, to stay vigilant for the phenomenon. The ministry stressed the
need for concerted efforts to curb child labor, particularly in light of an
increased unemployment rate and worsening economic conditions.
“On top of the prevailing
factors, including the pandemic and unemployment rate, school closures and
limited or no access to distance learning for some children have further
amplified the problem,” said Haifa Darwish, head of the ministry’s Child Labor
Department. She told Jordan News that the ministry is working on a
national strategy, to be implemented under the umbrella of the Prime Ministry,
aimed at eliminating child labor over the coming years. “It is everyone’s duty
and role to protect those children from exploitation,” said Darwish, and therefore
both private and public sector entities must work together to find an end to
child labor.
The strategy, according to
Darwish, involves awareness-raising campaigns, namely in public schools, and
among parents, to warn against the dangers of child labor as unemployment rates
force more parents to send their children out to work. “We hope to increase
parents’ awareness on the harmful effects of labor on children and to ensure
their commitment on the issue,” added Darwish.
Director of Tamkeen Center Linda
Kalash said in a phone interview with Jordan News that a 2016 survey suggested
that more than 70,000 children were involved in child labor in Jordan. “In
those five years, the figure must have increased, especially given that Jordan
has faced additional economic hardships that would surely lead to a significant
rise in child labor,” she added.
While child labor is illegal,
Kalash contended that the legal penalties do not do enough to deter employers
from engaging in child labor, as it saves them money in wages. Furthermore,
with more parents facing layoffs and unemployment, the alternative has been to
send their children out to work to make money.
“Intensified awareness-raising
campaigns, enforcing harsher penalties, and developing social programs to
ensure the safety of those children” are among measures that must be taken,
Kalash said, in addition to “empathizing with the plight of unemployed parents and
assisting them to find work opportunities.”
An updated survey is required
in the near future, said Kalash, to reveal the actual numbers of working
children as well as their socioeconomic conditions to identify the causes and
address them.
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