UNDER Executive Order No. 92 signed by President Duterte recently, the National Council Against Child Labor must strengthen the protection of the youth against exploitation, specifically, child labor. It will formulate a framework and national action plan for the effective enforcement of Republic Act No. 7610, or the law on the special protection of children against abuse. It is also ordered to conduct advocacy campaigns on child labor, and conduct research on the practice for the government’s policy development.
Actually, we already have legal measures in place. These are the following:
* Anti-Child Labor Law – protects children from being engaged into work outside the protection of their parents or guardian, and that which might endanger their life, safety and development
* Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act – protects children from being trafficked through its strengthened provisions which also covers attempted trafficking and accessory or accomplice liability.
* Domestic Workers Act – outlaws the employ of children below 15 years of age as domestic worker, while those who are 15 years old but below 18 years of age are considered as working children and are protected under the Anti-Child Labor Act
* Children’s Emergency Relief and Protection Act – mandates government to establish and implement a strategic program of action to provide children affected by disasters, calamities and other emergency situations with assistance necessary for their immediate recovery and to protect them against all forms of abuse and exploitation
The real problem here is the enforcement – or non-enforcement – of these laws that protect children from abuse and exploitation. And whose job is this? The government, of course. And it has been remiss. Big time.
We must strictly implement our laws to end child labor and protect our children from circumstances that adversely affect their survival and normal development.
According to the United Nations, around 168 million children remain trapped in child labor around the world and many of them live in areas affected by conflict and disaster. These children are exposed to multiple forms of abuses such as sexual exploitation and sex trafficking, forced labor and internal displacement, among others. Disasters and armed conflicts make them even more vulnerable to abuses as poor women and children are preyed upon by human trafficking syndicates.
Ending child labor is a must. Children have the right to a life free from violence, exploitation and abuse. The problem requires a multi-disciplinary protection system, which involves stricter implementation of anti-trafficking and anti-child labor laws.
