10 CENT CAMPAIGN
Image courtesy of ILO
Just 10 cents to end child slavery...
In Pakistan, brothers Mohen and Nihal* began working on carpet looms when they were four and five years old in order to help their family meet their basic needs.
"The health hazards caused to us are that our fingers are trimmed and we have to work all day long. Often for a couple of days in a week, we have to work for the whole day and night. Mohen often gets miserable and fatigued with the long hours or work and he tries to escape. Then the master weaver keeps a strict watch on him and never lets him move for three or four days.” (Source: Anti-Slavery International)
CHILD LABOUR
At this moment there are over 100 million children aged between 5 and 17 who are trapped in hazardous work, including slave-like conditions.
This is a problem that can be fixed.
In fact, due to global efforts, between 2000 and 2004 the number of children trapped in hazardous work fell from 171 million to 126 million. The peak body at the UN working on child labour issues, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) believes that child slavery can be eliminated by 2016. What is needed is the will to do so backed by modest funding.
STOP THE TRAFFIK believes that Australia should help eliminate chlid labour by supporting the International Program for the Elimination of Child labour (IPEC), which is the largest international program to end exploited child labour in the world. The overall aim of IPEC is to progressively eliminate exploited child labour, through strengthening the capacity of countries to deal with the problem and promoting a worldwide movement to combat exploitation of children in work.
To find out more about the work of IPEC click here or go to the IPEC website.
An annual contribution to IPEC would be one step Australia could take to help eliminate the worst forms of chld labour. STOP THE TRAFFIK believes that Australia’s fair share to IPEC would be approximately 10 cents per Australian.
SUPPORT US IN THIS CALL AND SHOW THAT YOU CARE ABOUT CHILD LABOUR!
Take action now...
- Send your 10 cent contribution into us at Stop The Traffik, 130 Little Collins St Melbourne Victoria 3000. We will forward your contribution on to IPEC.
- Write a letter to The Hon. Bob McMullan MP Parliamentary Secretary for International Development Assistance, Parliament House Canberra, ACT, 2600. Let him know that you have already sent your contribution for IPEC and encourage the Australian Government to do the same for all Australians.
Use the salutation: Dear Parliamentary Secretary Points you could make in your note:
- Express concern that over 100 million children remain trapped in hazardous working conditions, including slave-like conditions.
- Note that the International Labour Organisation believes that all these children could be freed from this situation by 2016 if there is a global effort to make it happen.
- Express disappointment that Australia has contributed nothing to the International Program for the Elimination of Child labour (IPEC), the largest international program to end child slavery, since 2003.
- Ask that the Australian Government provide 10 cents per Australian per year to fund the vital work of IPEC and point out that you have included your contribution for this purpose for 2009.