Cairo, 12 June 2021 – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Egypt has marked the World Day Against Child Labour by organizing a community event for more than 40 families from different migrant communities in Cairo, including 87 children. The event aimed at raising awareness on the rights of the child while discussing possible means on preventing exploitation, ensuring our environmental sustainability, and advocating for the importance of mental health and well-being for both parents and children.

“Child labour is one of the saddest forms of exploitation. IOM works hard to prevent and combat this form of abuse through raising awareness of communities, providing alternatives and protection for vulnerable migrants at risk of exploitation, and building the capacity of national partners and stakeholders. It is only with this combined approach that we can ensure communities’ engagement in promoting and protecting the rights of all children”, said Laurent de Boeck, IOM Chief of Mission to Egypt.

This event was organized with the generous support of the Government of the Kingdom of The Netherlands and the European Union through the COMPASS programme and the Regional Development and Protection Programme (RDPP), respectively.

The event gave the participants a practical approach of what child exploitation is and how to report it. The children and their families were made aware of the risks of trafficking in persons and the importance of taking measures to mitigate such crimes. The interactive sessions have highlighted possible ideas on how to work with community leaders to prevent child exploitation.

Children also learned about their rights by playing games and puzzles. “I will never forget all the entertainment and joy. This day will remain forever in my memory,” said a child from the Sudanese community.

Children around the world are routinely engaged in paid and unpaid forms of work that are not harmful to them. However, they are classified as child labourers when they are either too young to work or are involved in hazardous activities that may compromise their physical, mental, social or educational development. The latest estimates indicate that 152 million children (64 million girls and 88 million boys) are in child labour globally, accounting for almost one in ten of all children worldwide (ILO, 2018). The COVID-19 pandemic has only increased migrant children’s vulnerability to child labour.

IOM works towards ending child labour which requires immediate and accelerated action and collaborative partnerships at all levels. Hence, IOM Egypt is committed to work with all relevant partners and stakeholders in implementing projects that aim at ending child labour, leaving no one behind.

For more information, please contact Mariam Salim at IOM Egypt, Tel: +20 1012 428 527, Email: msalim@iom.int