This report aims at highlighting the steps taken by shoe a child foundation to show solidarity against child labour.
According to the international labour organization, not all work done by children should be classified as child labour, that is to be targeted for elimination. The participation of children or adolescents above the minimum age for admission to employment in work that does not affect their health and personal development or interfere with their schooling, is generally regarded as being something positive. The term CHILD LABOUR is often described as work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential their dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental development. It refers to work that :
- Is mentally, physically, socially or moral dangerous and harmful to children: and/or
- Interferes with their schooling by: depriving them of the opportunity to attend school; obliging them to leave school prematurely: or requiring them to attempt to combine school attendance with excessively long and heavy work.
It is pertinent to mention at this point that the international labour organization has declared 12th June as the official World day against Child Labour.
During the International labour conference on the 12th of June, 2023, It was stated that "Since 2000, for nearly two decades, the world had been making steady progress in reducing child labour. But over the past few years, conflicts, crises and the COVID-19 pandemic, have plunged more families into poverty – and forced millions more children into child labour. Economic growth has not been sufficient, nor inclusive enough, to relieve the pressure that too many families and communities feel and that makes them resort to child labour. Today, 160 million children are still engaged in child labour. That is almost one in ten children worldwide.
Africa ranks highest among regions both in the percentage of children in child labour, one-fifth — and the absolute number of children in child labour — 72 million. Asia and the Pacific ranks second highest in both these measures — 7% of all children and 62 million in absolute terms are in child labour in this region"
Every child has the right to basic amenities, a solid education and a chance at all round development. Ideally, children should not be tools for slavery and labour of any sort. However, current realities and a lack of adequate information has led to these young ones getting their childhoods snatched away due to events beyond their control.
Shoe A Child Foundation is a non profit organisation that concerns itself primarily with the welfare of underprivileged children across Nigeria. Therefore, in response to the pandemic that is Child labour, the organisation decided to hold a walk to create awareness and educate the general populace about the many dangers of Child Labour. This maiden edition was tagged "Fight Against Child Labour".
The event which held on the 17th of June 2023, kicked off at the popular Yaba College of Technology junction Lagos as the start point and National Institute of Sports, Surulere as the end point. After the walk which lasted about an hour and a half, the team gathered at the stadium to give shoes to and educate the children around the community about their rights as budding members of society. Two hundred pairs of shoes were distributed that day. An exercise which would have not been successful without the support of individuals(volunteers), brands and key stakeholders in child care, welfare and protection. They include volunteers from One African Child, Child Protection Network and Bimbo Odukoya Foundation, Rosella Luxury drinks, Iyaalajepickanddrop and Jerry Tolu Media Studios just to name a few.