Subjects: CHI, FOR, CFG
Canada working to end child labour around the world
GATINEAU, QC, June 12, 2018 /CNW/ - The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of International Trade, and the Honourable Marie?Claude Bibeau, Minister of International Development and La Francophonie, issued the following statement today about World Day Against Child Labour:
"Canada champions the rights of children and youth at home and around the world.
On World Day Against Child Labour, we join people around the world in asserting that girls and boys everywhere deserve the right to a healthy and safe childhood?one in which they have access to safe, quality, inclusive and equitable education that leads to a fulfilling future.
Canada works to ensure that all girls and boys?even those living in situations of natural disaster or armed conflict?lead lives free of violence, exploitation and abuse. Canada's efforts support the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including promoting sustained, inclusive economic growth and decent work for all, and ending child labour in all its forms by 2025.
This June we celebrate the one-year anniversary of Canada fully ratifying all eight of the International Labour Organization's core conventions considered fundamental to ensuring basic human rights in the workplace. Two of these underscore Canada's commitment to eradicating child labour: eliminating the worst forms of child labour without losing the long-term goal of the effective abolition of all child labour, and setting a minimum age at which children can legally be employed or otherwise work.
Canada also expects Canadian companies working around the world to adopt responsible business practices that uphold children's rights and prevent, mitigate and eradicate child labour. We expect all Canadian companies to respect internationally recognized responsible business conduct standards that address child labour. Canada is committed to ensuring responsible business conduct and respecting the human rights of workers, including children's rights, at home and abroad.
We have made much progress, but our job is far from over: 152 million children around the world are victims of child labour and almost half of them work in hazardous situations. But today's young people are also powerful agents of positive change who can build a better world for all. We need to do everything in our power to ensure that girls and boys are protected, educated and empowered, so that they can reach their full potential. That is how we will collectively stop intergenerational poverty and advance peace, prosperity and sustainable development worldwide.
Count on Canada to keep working to end child labour and improve the lives of those 152 million children."
Associated Links
- Word Day Against Child Labour
- Canada ratifies international convention, supports workers' rights to organize and collective bargaining
- Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98)
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SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada
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