LESOTHO: Govt tackles child labour and exploitation

[ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]

JOHANNESBURG, 1 Apr 2005 (IRIN) - The Lesotho government released two studies on Friday, highlighting the growing problems of child labour, abuse and exploitation.

The studies, 'Hear Us' on child domestic workers, and 'Speaking Out' on youth sexuality, "allow us to discover the voices of the voiceless through young people themselves," said J K Thabane, principal secretary of the Ministry of Gender and Youth, Sports and Recreation (MOGYSR) at the launch.

"The studies revealed the hardship endured by children and young people as they become more and more reliant on various forms of labour to sustain their poverty- and HIV/AIDS-stricken families. The CDW [child domestic worker] study uncovered the highly abusive nature of relationships existing between many CDW and their employers," noted a UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) statement.

"The Youth, Gender and Sexuality Study unveiled the often-controversial issues of gender, sexuality, prostitution and youth behaviour and attitudes. Both will inform national legislations, and programmes," the agency noted.

Commissioned by UNICEF and MOGYSR, the CDW report underlines the exploitation of children against the background of HIV/AIDS in the small, impoverished mountain kingdom.

A 16-year-old child worker is quoted in the CDW study as saying, "He said I should kiss him; I refused. He said I should sit near him; I refused. He had promised me money for food and clothes on condition that I returned sexual favours to him."

Enormous antagonism still exists in relation to the concept of children's rights. "Most adults felt threatened when confronted with issues of children's rights; they do not feel comfortable with children having rights," said the UNICEF statement.

"We must be furious at these findings. We need stronger recommendations and actions, and we need to eradicate underage labour. We have social, moral and mandates responsibility to protect the children and youth in Lesotho, and bring justice and respect for their rights and dignity," urged Bertrand Desmoulins, UNICEF country representative in Lesotho.

[ENDS]