Madam, - One in seven of the world's children is involved in child labour - work that affects children's physical, mental, emotional and moral development. Today is World Day Against Child Labour, a chance for all of us to take a closer look at why the international community continues to struggle with this issue.
A tiny percentage of the world's immense wealth could consign child labour to the history books. Recently, an international study concluded that by 2020, the potential benefit to the global economy of eliminating child labour could be as much as $60 billion a year and overall, the benefit outweighed the cost by seven to one. By any calculation, that looks like a worthy investment, does it not?
In a relatively short time Ireland has emerged from endemic poverty to become one of the world's leading economies. Our children have more choices than ever before. Don't all children deserve this? The 2006 government White Paper on Irish Aid provides a detailed strategic approach to reducing poverty, providing education for all, treating HIV/Aids and helping with disaster recovery. It is important to make the link between these issues and enforced child labour.
Child labour moves in and out of media coverage and will continue to do so unless more concerted and forceful action is taken to tackle it. We all need to be more aware of supply-chain issues and ethical trade. But, more than that, we need to make sure the incoming government makes even more effective choices in targeting its aid programmes.
Children need to be in school, not in the workplace, and we all share the responsibility for making this happen.What we want to do through our new partnership in Ireland is to encourage Irish Aid, NGOs, trade unions and employers to adopt a more coherent and strategic approach to development and human rights.
Tackling child labour effectively does not just mean spending more money - it also means being smarter and more focused in spending what is already available. - Yours, etc,
TOM ARNOLD, Concern, DAVID BEGG, Irish Congress of Trade Unions, (Founding Members of the Irish Task Force Against Child Labour), c/o Concern, Camden Street, Dublin 2.