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Tawla now plans project on child labour for three regions
2008-01-24 09:18:22
By Correspondent Timothy Kahoho
The Tanzania Women Lawyers Association (Tawla) plans to carry out a six-month project on child labour for officials of local government in three regions with a view to effecting by-laws on child labour in rural communities.
This is stated in the association`s recent publication whereby it is hinted that the project,which is intended to train the officials on best ways to implement by-laws in the process of controlling child labour, would be sponsored by the International Labour Organization (ILO).
``The famous adage that `ignorance of the law is no defence` ought to be taken into account, hence it’s relevant to create awareness about what labour laws provide for child labour,`` remarks the publication.
The publication says the project is to be carried in Iringa, Mwanza and Dodoma regions.
It further shows that Tawla would carry out the project so as to provide legal expertise in the respective regions by conducting workshops within the specific regions.
It states that in Tanzania not everyone is aware about the rights of children and child labour as stated under Section 4 of the Employment and Labour Relations Act of 2004. It however, says the provision defines a child as a person under 14 years of age who may be engaged in hazardous sectors.
It further states that Section 5 of the same Act prohibits that children under 14 years of age explicitly are not supposed to be employed.
The women`s organ remarked that they may only be employed to do light work which is not harmful to their health and development, and does not hinder their attendance at school, participation in vocational orientation or training programmes approved by a competent authority or child\'s capacity to benefit from their educational process.
It notes that despite International Conventions and the national laws in place, child labour is still a common phenomenon in society.
``Attributed to this is the prevailing poverty condition in our societies,`` it observes and adds that parents are ready to let their children work in harsh conditions that could endanger their health, forsaking going to school for survival.
It concludes by noting that most people are not aware of the existence of the new labour laws that there schould be a need for the government and other staskeholders to undertake the noble task of enlightening the communities on the provisions related to child labour.
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