South Sudan, ILO to jointly combat child labour and poverty

By James Gatdet Dak

October 8, 2008 (JUBA) – The Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) is expected to sign a Partnership Protocol with the International Labour Organization (ILO) next week in Juba to implement a four-year project aimed at combating child labour through education.

According to a press release issued on Wednesday by its branch office in Juba, ILO’s International Programme on Elimination of Child Labour (IPECL) has received unspecified support from the European Commission (EC) to implement the new programme.

The programme covers eleven African, Caribbean and Pacific countries of which Sudan is one.

The overall objective of the programme is to contribute to poverty reduction in the participating countries by providing equitable access to basic education and skills development to some of the most disadvantaged segments of society.

The project will also strengthen the capacity of national and local authorities in the formulation, implementation and enforcement of policies to fight child labour in coordination with social partners and civil society.

(ST)