Luanda - The Southern African Development Community (SADC) reiterated Thursday at UN headquarters, in New York, its commitment to implementing measures to end child labour in all its forms by 2025.
According to a press release sent to ANGOP this Friday, the position was expressed by Angola's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Francisco José da Cruz, when he was speaking on behalf of the group of SADC countries at the Third Committee's general debate on "Protection and Promotion of the Rights of the Child".
Francisco José da Cruz said that SADC supports the common objective of the Durban Call to Action on the total elimination of child labour, particularly in the field of agriculture, children's rights to education and universal access to social protection.
Angolan ambassador also recognised the need to develop and implement specific interventions to prevent and combat trafficking in human beings, with a special focus on children.
Francisco José da Cruz explained that most member states have made significant progress in deterring child trafficking, including imposing harsher prison sentences.
"Some member states have introduced minimum requirements and new immigration regulations for people travelling with minors, as a way of reducing potential cases of child abduction and trafficking," he said.
In addition to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, he stressed that SADC Member States have ratified other international, continental and regional instruments that promote and protect children's rights, such as the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention, the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, the SADC Code of Conduct on Child Labour and the SADC Minimum Package of Services for Orphans, Vulnerable Children and Youth.
"These instruments prohibit child labour and all forms of abuse, giving priority to the education and training of children, as well as the eradication of poverty, which is the main engine of child labour," he stressed.
Francisco José da Cruz reaffirmed the commitment of SADC member states to implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and achieving the Sustainable Development Goal on employment and economic growth, especially target 8.7 which aims to eradicate all forms of child labour by 2025.
He also highlighted the importance of access to quality and uninterrupted education up to the general minimum age of 15, supporting the African Union's Agenda 2063 which seeks to create a dynamic, vibrant, engaged and empowered youth.
Angola holds the rotating presidency of SADC, which is made up of 16 members states, namely Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Comoros, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
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