Guyana Labour Ministry concludes series of outreach activities

Guyana: The Ministry of Labour, in collaboration with the United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF), commenced a series of outreach activities from September 14-16, 2022, at Matthew’s Ridge.

The purpose of the awareness exercise focused on the issue of child labour and the detrimental emotional and physical effects that children forced into child labour undergo.

The team was led by the Senior Labour Officer, Michelle Baburam, and Labour Officers Clement Adams and Sonja Adonis, who engaged residents of Arakaka and Taswani villages, Matthew’s Ridge Hospital, Jhonny Phillips Mining Camp, and Arakaki Primary School.

The sessions provided a broad interaction with residents and students, providing detailed information on child labour, the causes, and the detrimental effects it can have on our children and society.

Senior Labour Officer Baburam highlighted at the activities the importance of building partnerships with communities. She also called on leaders within the respective villages to work together to prevent and eliminate child labour. Further, emphasis was placed on the community and stakeholders’ role in helping authorities tackle the issue of child labour.

During this outreach, officials within the ministry’s labour department reached out to approximately two (200) hundred persons, consisting of both students and adults, inclusive of parents, teachers, councillors, and village leaders. Brochures, posters, and other paraphernalia branded with key child labour messages were distributed at each awareness session, all funded by UNICEF.