YEMEN: Yemen aims to raise awareness about the number of child workers in the country, with a recent report by the International Labour Organisation estimating that there are around 1.3 million children working in the country

Record ID: 174022

  • Title: YEMEN: Yemen aims to raise awareness about the number of child workers in the country, with a recent report by the International Labour Organisation estimating that there are around 1.3 million children working in the country
  • Date: 16th June 2013
  • Summary: SANAA, YEMEN ( JUNE 16, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CHILDREN DISTRIBUTING LEAFLETS TO PASSING CARS TRAFFIC ON STREET (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) YEMENI BOY, FAWAS SAHERI, SAYING: ''We're taking part to end child labour, and to send a message to show that child labour isn't good, because me, and our children have rights, first of all for education.'' TRAFFIC YOUNG BOY PUTTING POSTER ON WALL MONA SALEM, DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF WOMEN AND CHILD IN MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS WITH CHILDREN (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MONA SALEM, DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN, MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS , SAYING: ''Statistics almost reached 1,614,000 child labourers in the country. This figure is huge, and we all need to come together and make the effort to reduce this number and remove them (children) from working in these places.'' VARIOUS OF BOY HAMMERING METAL SHEET VARIOUS OF BOYS VARNISHING DOORS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANISATION REPRESENTATIVE, ALI DAHHAG, SAYING: ''There are about 21 percent of children working, and this is a large amount, about more than one fifth of the population in this age are doing dangerous work.'' YOUNG BOY BY FOOD STAND VARIOUS OF YOUNG BOY WITH POSTERS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MONA SALEM, DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN, MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS , SAYING: ''The law and legislation has been done and this is the most important aspect of the work, as well programmes in increasing awareness, in order to reduce the size of the problem. We also seek to build the capacity of workers in this field.'' BOYS HANDING OUT LEAFLETS TO DRIVERS
  • Embargoed: 1st July 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Yemen
  • Country: Yemen
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVACC3NKTR8DBD1XSVTIQTJEUFOR
  • Story Text: Yemeni children weave between cars on the capital's streets, Sanaa. But these children aren't selling items to make money, they're raising awareness about the number of child labourers in the country.
    A recent report by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimates that there are around 1.3 million children working in Yemen, with many forced to work due to help support their families.
    But the government alongside the ILO are now raising awareness about the issue of child labour in the country, where thousands abandon their education.
    More than 30 children are involved in the initiative distributing leaflets with the message, 'No to child labour, Yes to education'.
    Fawas Saheri is one of the children involved in the campaign.
    ''We're taking part to end child labour, and to send a message to show that child labour isn't good, because me, and our children have rights, first of all for education,'' he said.
    Mona Salem is from the country's Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, she's also involved in the initiative.
    ''Statistics almost reached 1,614,000 child labourers in the country. This figure is huge, and we all need to come together and make the effort to reduce this number and remove them (children) from working in these places,'' explained Salem.
    Figures from the ILO report also suggest that 469,000 young Yemeni labourers are between the ages of 5-11, and campaigners are keen to put a stop to it.
    ''There are about 21 percent of children working, and this is a large amount, about more than one fifth of the population in this age are doing dangerous work,'' said ILO representative, Ali Dahhag.
    The findings in the report also say more than 300,000 children are also working in environments that are unsuitable for their age.
    But Salem added that there are educational campaigns underway in the country to address issues related to child labour, such as support for enrolling children in schools Yemen is the second poorest Arab state after Mauritania, with a third of the 25 million people living under a poverty line of $2 a day and unemployment is estimated at around 35 percent - with youth unemployment at 60 percent.
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