United States supports efforts to combat child labor

On April 9, 2014, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires a.i. Virginia Blaser, Minister of Labor and Employment Gaudensia Kabaka and the Director of ILO Tanzania Country Office Alexio Musindo participated in a Child Labor conference organized by the U.S. Embassy Dar es Salaam and attended by representatives of the Government of Tanzania, Trade Unions and NGO community at ILO offices in Dar es Salaam. 

 The conference was held under the theme “Working Together to Combat Child Labor,” and focused on a recommitment by various stakeholders to efforts to combat child labor. Attendees agreed that the problem of child labor threatens not only to children involved, but also the future of Tanzania as it places children in unhealthy and dangerous environments and threatens their reaching their full potential as educated, healthy and productive citizens. 

They also realized that they need to enhance their cooperation and coordination of their activities in order to combat the problem more effectively. In this regard the stakeholders committed themselves to use the National Action Plan on Child Labor as a guiding framework for concerted efforts to combat child labor. 

 Highlighting the importance of the occasion, Chargé d’Affaires Blaser said combating child labor is crucial worldwide, but especially in developing countries. She noted that “Tanzania is a young country. Sixty-four percent of the population is under twenty-four years of age, and almost half of all Tanzanians are younger than fifteen. These children are the future of Tanzania, and require care, security and investment to reach their full potential. They will be your doctors, nurses and scientists. Your judges and lawyers, and police officers. Your priests, pastors and imams. Your ministers, parliamentarians and presidents. They will be the future leaders of this great nation”. Chargé d’Affaires Blaser reiterated the United States’ commitment to combating child labor in Tanzania was part of a continuum of efforts to improve the lives of children and their parents. 

 “We treat and combat HIV and AIDS through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief; we improve farming techniques and access to markets through our Feed the Future and Partnership for Growth initiatives; and we improve access to power and economic opportunity through our Power Africa and Trade Africa initiatives. 

 A key part of our plan for child labor is eliminating the economic need to exploit children in the first place,” she said. 

 The Government of United States has formed key partnerships with the Government of Tanzania, the International Rescue Committee (IRC), and the International Labor Organization (ILO) to specifically address the problem of child labor. 

 In February 2013, the U.S. government awarded the IRC a $10 million grant through the Department of Labor for the Wezesha Ustawi, Endeleza Kiwango cha Elimu kwa Kuzuia Ajira kwa Watoto (WEKEZA) project. 

 WEKEZA currently operates in six districts across the regions of Tanga and Kigoma, and has a goal of reaching over 15 thousand children and their families. WEKEZA offers children school vouchers and scholarships to increase their access to education. 

 For economically vulnerable families, the program also provides job and financial management training. Finally, WEKEZA works with government officials to increase local capacity to recognize, aggressively investigate, and actively prevent child labor.

United States Chargé d’Affaires a.i. Virginia Blaser (right) addressing a conference on Child Labor in Tanzania held at ILO offices in Dar es Salaam yesterday.  The conference, titled “Working Together to Combat Child Labor,” brought together representatives of government ministries, non-governmental organizations, trade unions and other stakeholders engaged in efforts to combat child labor in Tanzania, and to deliberate on ways to better cooperate and coordinate their efforts.  Also in attendance were the Deputy Permanent Secretary in the President's Office, Public Service Management Mr. Eric F. Shitindi (2nd left) and the Director of International Labor Organization (ILO) Tanzania Country Office Alexio Musindo (3^rd left).