Partners launch Joint Forces for Africa to reduce the worst forms of child labour

Save the Children in collaboration with other partners have launched Joint Forces for Africa (JOFA) project, which aims at reducing the worst forms of child labour globally.

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Country Director for Save the Children, Ashebir Debebe, said the project aims at addressing the root causes of child labour as it has been assessed on community and national level for the policy legislative to eradicate child labour.

JOFA is being funded by the European Union. In his remarks, EU Head of Delegation, Rune Skinnebach, said EU is committed to protecting human rights, especially the vulnerable groups, including children.

“We are expecting the change in eradicating the root causes of child labour through the awareness by informing the community, legislators, parents and schools to eradicate child labour and end poverty,” said Skinnebach.

Principal Secretary for the ministry of Labour, Kayira said there was an amendment to the employment act to abolish child labour.

“As government we have ventured into prohibition of hazardous works that emphasizes non-involvement of children in works beyond their age,”said Kayira.

Country Director for Plan International Malawi, Mwape Mulumbi, said the number of children that are involved in child labour is high, so with the coming in of JOFA will bring positive impact in provision of child rights as the community wil be able to monitor children.

“We want to see how we can assist the government to eradicate child labour,” said Mulumbi.

JOFA project is being implemented in four African countries which include, Madagascar, Mali, Burkina Faso and Malawi.

In Malawi, JOFA project will be reaching out 400,000 people in the district of Lilongwe and Ntchisi respectively.

The joint effort began in 2017, and organizations dedicated to the rights and welfare of children such as; ChildFund Alliance, Plan International, Save the Children International, SOS Children’s Villages International, Terre des Hommes International Federation, and World Vision International formed a global initiative called Joining Forces Alliance (JOFA).