DILI, 11 august 2021 (TATOLI) – Representative of the United Nation International ‘ s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) Bilal Aurang Zeb Durrani said it is necessary to conduct a quality research on a national scale to find out the aspects of the involvement of child in the labor.
“UNICEF already elaborated the form of survey which will be conducted in all municipalities including RAEOA, the survey will soon realized by the UNICEF,” Durrani told reporters recently after the meeting with the State Secretary for Social and Communicaion at the SEKOMS hall, today.
Durrani added that the aspect of child labor is influenced by many aspects, one of which is social practices in a country.
To find out about this aspect, UNICEF will conduct a national research in collecting samples from child labor throughout Timor-Leste to find for the alternative solution to solve the issue of child labor in Timor-Leste.
Following the reports from ILO, Timor-Leste launched its first National Child Labour Survey Report and Mini Labour Force Survey Report in 2016, conducted by the General Directorate of Statistics, Ministry of Finance Timor-Leste and the Secretariat of State for Vocational Training and Employment with technical support from the International Labour Organization (ILO).
The data presented in the Child Labour Survey has provided a richer understanding for all relevant stakeholders in the country regarding the reality of working children, Covering 1,755 households in all 13 municipalities, some of the key findings include:
- Around 67,688 children (aged 5-17 years old) or equal with 16.1 percent are economically active both in rural and urban areas.
- The main reason for children to be economically active is to supplement their family incomes and the majority of them work for their families, followed by working in the plantation/farm/garden.
- Out of 16.1 percent of children that are economically active, 12.5 percent are in child labour and the majority of them (55.5%) are involved in hazardous work.
- From a total population of children, 83.8 percent are attending school; however, children in child labour are less likely to attend school.
- Around 43,000 children (aged 5-17 years old) are reported never attended school; among these children 6,455 are involved in an economic activity, 4,901 are in child labour, and 2,888 in hazardous work.
Journalist : Camilio de Sousa
Editor: Nelia Borges Rosario
