News Tidbits

GLOBAL MARCH AGAINST CHILD LABOR CELEBRATES 6 YEARS OF STRUGGLE AND TRIUMPH

Posted: February 2004
Contributor: Peter James Leaño V
E-mail: peter_leano_v@yahoo.com

The first Global March Against Child Labor was held in the Philippines on January 17, 1988. Since then it has grown into a worldwide movement against the exploitation of children and their deprivation from education. It has tirelessly worked to generate and sustain national attention and action on child labor, particularly in the areas of policy and legislative advocacy and social mobilization. The Global March Against Child Labor is the largest mobilization in the name of the 250 million working children worldwide.

The Global March celebrated its sixth anniversary last January 17, 2004 with the theme “Bata, Bata, Bakit Ka Manggagawa? Mga Kandidato, Ano Ang Iyong Magagawa?”. This year’s Global March also celebrates the signing into law of Republic Act 9231 or the Anti Child Labor law.

The Global March Partners – an informal network of NGOs, government agencies, workers groups, employer’s associations, international institutions and child labor organizations – led this year’s celebration. Around 1500 people from different child-centered institutions and communities in Metro Manila, Rizal and Bulacan assembled at the Quezon City Memorial Circle before marching towards the Occupational Safety and Health Center along North Avenue where a Children’s Village awaited their arrival for a day full of games, exhibits, video showing, performances by children and various artists and a dialogue with political candidates. Ms. Aiza Seguerra received the Child Rights Advocate Award from the organizers and partners of the Global March for her unwavering support for the elimination of the worst forms of child labor in the country.

According to the National Statistics Office, there is an estimated 4 million child laborers in the country, an 11% growth from 3.7 million in 1996. More than half are engaged in the worst forms of child labor, while around 30% or 1.25 million of these working children are not attending school. This year’s theme reflects this growing number of child laborers in the country and the hope that the candidates in the upcoming national elections will include the issue of child labor in their respective programs. Senators Ramon Revilla and Ramon Magsaysay, Jr. were present during the activity and pledged their unwavering support for the movement to eliminate the worst forms of child labor. Presidential aspirant Raul Roco and Senatorial candidate Amina Rasul were present for the dialogue with the children. Former Education Secretary Raul Roco stressed the importance of providing free, accessible and quality education for the children and youth in the country. He pledged to provide this basic service to all Filipinos as part of his platform of government. Ms. Amina Rasul on the other hand, committed to provide support and training for young entrepreneurs. She also promised to address the plight of the children and youth in Mindanao and to put an end to the recruitment of children for armed purposes.

Also present during the festivities were representatives from the International Labor Organization, UNICEF, PLAN- Philippines and The Asia Foundation.