Minister Gasinzigwa calls for stern measures against child labour

The Minister for Gender and Family Promotion, Oda Gasinzigwa, has called on stakeholders to strengthen policies to curb child labour in the country.Gasinzigwa was on Sunday closing a week-long awareness campaign in line with the Day of the African Child, International Day of Families and the Day against Child Labour in Remara.The celebrations at Petit Stade saw child care open day and exhibition of child care services, among other activities.“We should combine efforts to ensure a society free of child labour, a society where all children enjoy their rights to education, health and development in a dignified manner,” Gasinzigwa said.She called on parents to play an active role in protecting their children against child labour, as the simplest way of fighting the vice, and this, she said should be done through ensuring that they are provided with all basic needs. “The major objective of the celebrations is to teach all parents and guardians, both women and men, about the benefits of family social integration and the dangers of child labour to children’s right to proper growth,” she added.The International Day of Families and the Day against Child Labour were this year celebrated under the theme, “Advancing social integration in the family, eliminating domestic child labour affecting children.”The national policy on elimination of child labour draws on the special treatment that the Rwandan culture accords to the child and the consideration of childhood as a critical foundation for a productive adulthood.Alex Mulinzi, the president of the Children Summit, said it is essential for parents to have a say over their children’s future without compromising the child’s right to education, health and property.Earlier this month, the Ministry of Public Service and Labour, in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation, launched the national policy on elimination of worst forms of child labour.Anastase Murekezi, the minister for pubic service and labour, said the policy would provide an enabling environment for prevention, protection and progressive elimination of child labour, while guiding government and other stakeholders on total elimination of the vice.“There have been efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labour, like the increase of the number of years of free education from 9 up to 12, and tripling the number of specialized officers working on gender-based violence,” he said.

National

Minister Gasinzigwa calls for stern measures against child labour