(introduction...)
|
"Child labour touches on the livelihood and survival of
many millions of families and communities, as well as the comfort and prosperity
of others. It inspires conflicting feelings and reactions and these are best
resolved if regulatory action is complemented by dialogue, education, and
information-sharing among all concerned. Hence the importance of public
awareness-raising efforts in the prevention and elimination of child labour. If
society as a whole recognizes that child labour is a problem, the stage has been
set to stigmatize and then eradicate its most abusive manifestations. Government
policy, especially the enforcement of national laws, requires public
backing."
ILO: Child Labour: Targeting the intolerable (Geneva,
1996) |
Given that child labour problems are ingrained in the
socio-cultural and economic structure of society, the process to solve them
effectively is complex and diverse. That is why the ILO aims at simultaneously
facilitating both policy reforms and a change in attitudes within countries,
among those directly concerned with the problem - children, parents and
employers - and in society as a whole. These two aims are closely related.
Extensive awareness-raising and social mobilization lead to a shift in attitudes
about child labour in society, which in turn creates public demand for policy
reforms, and thus to changes in legislation, programmes, budgets and
institutional structures.
This chapter illustrates positive experiences in
awareness-raising and advocacy on child labour issues emerging from recent
initiatives around the world, many of them with support from the ILO and its
International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC). It highlights
important messages that can be used to overcome misconceptions and constraints
posed by established socio-cultural patterns which lead to or perpetuate apathy,
resistance or inaction. It focuses primarily on the communication process in the
fight against child
labour.
