Title: Report of the FAO Workshop on Child Labour in Fisheries and Aquaculture in Cooperation with ILO
Description: The Workshop on Child Labour in Fisheries and Aquaculture was organized by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in cooperation with International Labour Organization (ILO) to generate inputs and guidance to the contents and process of developing guidance materials on policy and practice in tackling child labour in fisheries and aquaculture. In order to promote awareness on and effective implementation of the relevant UN and ILO conventions on the right of the child and child labour, workshop participants reviewed the nature, incidence and causes of child labour in fisheries, fish processing and aquaculture, examined the different forms and types of child labour in both large and small-scale and artisanal fishing operations, shellfish gathering, aquaculture, seafood processing, and work on board fishing vessels and fishing platforms, examined the health and safety hazards of fishing and aquaculture, including the use of hazardous technologies and relevant alternatives, and shared examples of good practice in the progressive elimination of child labour drawn from various sectors and regions. Child labour often reinforces a vicious cycle of poverty and has a negative impact on literacy rates and school attendance and limits children's mental and physical health and development. The workshop participants agreed on a series of recommendations relating to legal and enforcement measures, policy interventions and practical actions including risk assessments to address child labour issues in fisheries and aquaculture. FAO and ILO were called upon for priority actions to assist governments in withdrawing trafficked children and to effectively prohibit slavery and forced labour. Awareness raising among all stakeholders and the preparation of guidance materials were also prioritized by workshop participants. Gender issues needed to be considered in all actions and issues adequately addressed relating to discrimination and exclusion of fishing communities, castes, tribal and indigenous peoples, and ethnic minorities in fisheries and aquaculture.
Subjects: Fisheries, Employees, Child labor, Congresses