Belmopan, March 17, 2023.
On March 16, 2023, the Ministry of Rural Transformation, Community Development, Labour, and Local Government held a Child Labour training workshop for frontline workers from various ministries and institutions to foster interagency collaboration and combine efforts to end child labour. Participants included representatives of the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Human Development, Immigration Department, Belize Social Security Board, Belize Tourism Board, Belize Police Department, Belize Agriculture Health Authority, Toledo Institute for Development and Environment, Belize Tourism Industry Association, Anti-Trafficking in Persons Unit, Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry, National Trade Union Congress of Belize, and the International Labour Organization.
This capacity-building workshop is essential for personnel to understand child labour issues in the workplace and their roles in protecting children from exploitation. Personnel will be able to understand the definitions and policies and translate the knowledge gained from the training into concrete actions that reduce the prevalence of child labour and promote decent work for youth.
Since child labour can take many forms, such as hazardous and non-hazardous, rural and urban, formal and informal, part-time and full-time, paid and unpaid, visible and hidden, the Labour Department continues to work diligently to educate these institutions and the public about child labour, particularly in light of Sustainable Development Goal 8, which aims to promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all.
Belize has made significant progress in eradicating the worst forms of child labour and will continue to collaborate with strategic partners to educate the public and ministries about the harmful effects of child labour on our Belizean children and economy.
Ends
For more information, please contact:
Ginee Neal
Public Relations Officer
Ministry of Rural Transformation, Community Development, Labour and Local Government
g.neal@labour.gov.bz
