The Ministry of Labor and Employment inaugurated, this Monday (12th), in Brasília, the new members of the National Commission for the Eradication of Child Labor (Conaeti). The date marks the World and National Day against Child Labour. Conaeti is made up of representatives of the federal government, workers, employers, civil society, the justice system and international organizations. The collegiate monitors the national policy for the prevention and eradication of child labor in Brazil, the application of international conventions on child labor, and may even propose the preparation of studies, research and campaigns to clarify the subject. Recomposition of Conaeti Those present at the inauguration this Monday recalled that, in 2020, the past federal government withdrew from Conaeti the representations of the Public Ministry of Labor, the International Labor Organization and civil society against child labor. The Minister of Human Rights and Citizenship, Silvio Almeida, spoke about the commission’s return, noting that the institutionalization of systems for the protection and prevention of forms of violence against children and adolescents in Brazil is still in the process. “That it is something that does not depend only on the good will of the people who are here. That it be part of the dynamics of the functioning of the Brazilian State, not just the Brazilian government; that can protect childhood and adolescence against the violence that is traditional in Brazil and that involves children and adolescents, regardless of the will of the people who are in charge [o país].” The Public Prosecutor for Labor (MPT) Ana Maria Villa Real Ferreira Ramos classified the moment of Conaeti’s multi-party recomposition as historic and significant. “Children and adolescents were sacrificed. Children cannot wait. Their time is now”. Ana Maria thanked the Ministry of Labor and Employment for the commission’s return with all representations, such as the National Council for the Rights of Children and Adolescents (Conanda), MPT and civil society, after difficult times. Employers’ representation, along with some part of the government, wanted to say the moment when civil society was going to speak or not. I asked, ‘Are we living in authoritarian times in this country’?” The representative of the Central Única dos Trabalhadores ( CUT), Leandra Cintia Alves Perpétuo, defended strong and dignified work for all. “There is no promotion of the eradication of child labor without promoting decent work for adults. As long as we do not protect work for these people, there is no way to eradicate it. child labor.” Child labor in the world Data from the ILO in 2020 indicate that 160 million children and adolescents between 5 and 17 years of age were victims of child labor in the world, 97 million boys and 63 million girls, which represents one in ten children and adolescents around the world in situations of child labor. In that year, almost half of these children and adolescents (79 million) performed dangerous forms of work, putting their health, safety and moral development at risk. Involvement in child labor is greater for boys, than girls, in all age groups. Among all boys, 11.2% are in child labor compared to 7.8% among all girls. However, the numbers for 2022 should be even worse, according to an estimate by the director of the International Labor Organization (ILO) in Brazil, Vinícius Carvalho Pinheiro, who estimates that at least 168 million children and adolescents are victims of child labor. Vinícius Pinheiro explains that, globally, the world had a lost decade in the effort to eradicate child labor, as foreseen in the Sustainable Development Goals, of the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations (UN). For the director of ILO Brazil, the covid-19 pandemic reversed the downward trend of this crime by 2025, worldwide, not just in Brazil. “The so-called perfect storm happened. On the one hand, the brutal economic crisis that reduced the income of families. On the other hand, the confinement policy in sectors where it was very difficult to offer access to distance learning. These are areas that are most at risk of child labor. And the combination of these two elements meant that, worldwide, there was an increase of 8 million workers in child age.” “We lost 10 years. We are indebted to millions and millions of children, girls and boys who had their childhood mortgaged ”, regrets Vinícius Pinheiro.
Agência Brasil
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