JUNE 12 — The Children’s Commissioner of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) Datuk Noor Aziah Mohd Awal would like to reiterate the importance of education to children and emphasise that child labour denies a child’s rights to education and self-development.
This is because when children go to work, they will have no time to go to school.
This year, the theme is “Covid-19: Protect children from child labour, now more than ever!” The theme was purposely created in this manner to reflect the current pandemic and its frightening impact upon children especially child labourers as they belong to the most vulnerable group.
According to the latest report on Global Estimates of Child Labour (2017) by International Labour Organisation (ILO), across the globe, it was estimated that there were 218 million child labourers with age range between 5 and 17 years old. Although there is no proper data on child labour in Malaysia, that does not mean that Malaysia is free from such a predicament.
Under international laws, child labour is prohibited pursuant to Convention on the Rights of a Child (CRC), and ILO instruments, mainly Convention No. 138 on the Minimum Age for Admission to Employment, 1973 and Convention No. 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour, 1999, both which Malaysia ratified in 1997 and 2000 respectively; and the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29).
In Malaysia, Children and Young Persons (Employment) Act 1966 (Act 350) governs all matters relating to child labour. The Act defines a child as a person below the age of 15 and allows them to work under several circumstances by virtue of its Section 2 (2).
The Act has many loopholes and have a double jeopardy effect on children. Child labour is a form of child abuse and exploitation of child. During the pandemic covid19, many parents lost their job and children were not allowed to go to school.
The movement control order (MCO) may have driven many children to take up employment to assist their parents financially. They may also be exploited by some employers due to the extraordinary circumstances of MCO.
'Human rights for all'
Therefore, due to the above loopholes, the Children’s Commissioner urges the government to review and amend the Act 350 and make special provision on child labour if there is a necessity to employ a child.
Otherwise, the government must continue to provide financial assistance to underprivileged families in order to avoid child labour. Both primary and secondary education must be made free to ensure that parents have no excuse not to send their children to school.
The government and all stakeholders are further called to materialise the National Action Plan on Child Labour which was launched by ILO and the Malaysian Ministry of Human Resources (MOHR) on October 1, 2019.
This is pertinent to protect our children from child labour, now more than ever during this Covid-19 pandemic!
* Media statement by Suhakam (Human Rights Commission of Malaysia) on June 12, 2020.
** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
