News from ECLT Foundation

ECLT Foundation e-News December 2014

Making a Better Life for Children in Tobacco-Growing Communities

Message from the Executive Director

ECLT Foundation Board Members Sign Pledge to align and reinforce members' policies and practices in combatting child labour in tobacco growing

On 10 December, Human Rights Day, the Board of the ECLT Foundation announced that the ECLT Foundation Members signed a shared Pledge of Commitment and Minimum Requirements on combatting child labour.

The ECLT Foundation Members comprise a large percentage of the world's tobacco-sourcing supply chain. The Pledge affirms, "ECLT Foundation Board Members respect and recognize the principles and rights enshrined in the International Labour Organization Conventions and Recommendations on child labour."

Today at the ECLT Foundation

News From the Field

Conditional Loan Savings Benefit Children at Mitwigu

In recent light, the provision of small loans has been perceived as a viable strategy for poverty alleviation among rural women. Specifically, those who have been denied access to financial institution loans such as, commercial and investment loans. The Promoting Sustainable Practices to Eradicate Child Labour in Tobacco Project has adopted this strategy as a means of improving livelihoods at the household level by providing conditional loans to mothers.

The program began in 2012 when a total of 510 mothers accessed loans from the project after having undergone a training program tailored to their immediate needs in regard to entrepreneurship and business skills. In Sikonge, a total of 249 mothers accessed conditional loans, 25 of which were from Mitwigu Village.

Global Progress to End Child Labour

Save the Children on 25 years of The Convention on the Rights of the Child

On the occasion of the 25 years of the Convention of the Rights of the Child (CRC), The ECLT Foundation asked Asa Sjöberg Langner and Matthew Pickard about their views on this important anniversary and the challenges ahead in terms of children rights.

How important is the CRC in Save the Children's daily work?

Taking into consideration that child labour is a very complex issue, wide spread and deeply entrenched in poverty and inequalities, the CLC on worst forms of child labour (ILO Convention no. 182) is of much importance to Save the Children's daily work in developing countries like Malawi. The CLC helps set international standards for clearly defining child labour, its nature and how to address it.

ECLT Foundation in Action

Malawi National Symposium Combats Hazardous Child Labour

On 19 November, representatives from the Malawi Government, inter-governmental organizations, industry, and civil society joined together with farmers and farmer's organizations to take part in the first national Symposium on Decent Youth Employment in Agriculture.

With the support of the ECLT Foundation and Child Labour Elimination Actions for Real Change Project, this symposium provided a national forum for discussion on decent youth employment in agriculture, and occupational safety and health laws.

Thank you for your support -
together we can make a better life for children in tobacco-growing communities!

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