100 million girls are involved in child labour, and many are exposed to some of its worst forms - ILO.
By John Chola - 19/06/09
The International Labour Organisations says most recent global estimate indicate that more than 100 million girls are involved in child labour, and many are exposed to some of its worst forms.
Meanwhile the prevailing global financial crisis will push more children, particularly girls, into child labour.
This is according to a new report issued by the International Labour Office (ILO) marking the World Day against Child Labour which fell on June 12.
The ILO report, entitled Give Girls a Chance: Tackling child labour, a key to the future notes that while recent global estimates indicate the number of children involved in child labour has been falling, the financial crisis threatens to erode this progress.
ILO Director-General Juan Somavia says in the report that there has been some real progress in reducing child labour in the recent past.
Somavia says the policies chosen in the present crisis will be a test of national and global commitment to take the child labour fight forward.
Somavia he says bemoaned that in many countries families still give preference to boys when making decisions on education of children.
He says because of the increase in poverty as result of the crisis poor families with a number of children are likely to make choices as to which children stay in school.
Somavia says that in cultures in which a higher value is placed on education of male children, girls risk being taken out of school, and are then likely to enter the workforce at an early age.
Somavia says anticipated cuts in national education budgets and a decline in remittances of migrant workers which help to keep children in school are other factors to push up the numbers in child labour.
169 member states have ratified the ILO Convention No. 182 on the elimination of the worst forms of child labour.
Fourteen member states are yet to ratify the convention in order to make it a universal ratification.
Somavia says protecting children from child labour calls for integrated responses that include jobs for parents, and social protection measures that help them to keep both girls and boys in school.
The ILO chief says girls around the globe face a number of particular problems that justify special attention.
The problems including much work being undertaken by girls is hidden from public view, which creates particular dangers.
Somavia says girls make up the overwhelming number of children in domestic work in third party households and there are regular reports of the abuse of child domestic workers.
In their own homes, Somavia notes, girls take on household chores to a much greater extent than boys.
He says combined with economic activity outside the household, this imposes a “double burden” that increases the risk of girls dropping out of school.
The ILO chief bemoans that in many societies girls are still in an inferior and vulnerable position and are more likely to lack basic education a situation that seriously restricts their future opportunities.
The ILO report has underscored the importance of investing in the education of girls as an effective way of tackling poverty.
Ends…//
Friday, June 19, 2009
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Zambian women falling prey to human and drug trafficking.
By John Chola - 15/06/09
Zambian women are easily giving in to human traffickers who are using them to traffic drugs.
The Zambian Drug Enforcement Commission is warning Zambian women to be wary of human and drug traffickers frequenting the country to recruit unsuspecting victims.
Over ten Zambian women have been arrested and detained in various countries for drug trafficking.
The Drug Enforcement Commission says it has discovered that Zambian women are being trafficked to other countries where they are sold to drug traffickers who use them to carry drugs.
The Drug Enforcement Commission says currently there are two Zambians being held in South Africa after being used in drug trafficking syndicates.
More Zambian women have recently been arrested in Tanzania, Kenya, Pakistan and China.
In China the courts have sentenced a Zambian woman to death by firing squared for drug trafficking.
The Zambian government has since stepped in to try and appeal to the Chinese government to allow the female Zambian serve a sentence at home.
Ends….
Zambian women are easily giving in to human traffickers who are using them to traffic drugs.
The Zambian Drug Enforcement Commission is warning Zambian women to be wary of human and drug traffickers frequenting the country to recruit unsuspecting victims.
Over ten Zambian women have been arrested and detained in various countries for drug trafficking.
The Drug Enforcement Commission says it has discovered that Zambian women are being trafficked to other countries where they are sold to drug traffickers who use them to carry drugs.
The Drug Enforcement Commission says currently there are two Zambians being held in South Africa after being used in drug trafficking syndicates.
More Zambian women have recently been arrested in Tanzania, Kenya, Pakistan and China.
In China the courts have sentenced a Zambian woman to death by firing squared for drug trafficking.
The Zambian government has since stepped in to try and appeal to the Chinese government to allow the female Zambian serve a sentence at home.
Ends….
Amnesty International says Zimbabwe has continued human rights violations
By John Chola - 18/06/09
Amnesty International says Zimbabwe is suffering 'persistent and serious' human rights violations despite the formation of a unity government four months ago.
Amnesty International's secretary-general Irene Khan said in Harare today that there are still serious violation of human rights in Zimbabwe.
Khan was speaking to reporters in Harare where she is on a special mission.
She says the socio-economic conditions are desperate for the vast majority of Zimbabweans.
Khan says the inclusive government has failed to reform the police, army and security forces or address impunity.
Khan cites the lack of clear commitment of some parts of government as real obstacles that need to be confronted by the top leadership of Zimbabwe.
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Amnesty International says Zimbabwe is suffering 'persistent and serious' human rights violations despite the formation of a unity government four months ago.
Amnesty International's secretary-general Irene Khan said in Harare today that there are still serious violation of human rights in Zimbabwe.
Khan was speaking to reporters in Harare where she is on a special mission.
She says the socio-economic conditions are desperate for the vast majority of Zimbabweans.
Khan says the inclusive government has failed to reform the police, army and security forces or address impunity.
Khan cites the lack of clear commitment of some parts of government as real obstacles that need to be confronted by the top leadership of Zimbabwe.
Ends…//
Over 300 African children trafficked and sold into modern-day slavery.
By John Chola -18/06/09
Three hundred and thirty children from Africa have been trafficked to Britain over the past year.
The children are exploited as domestic slaves, forced to work for hours, cleaning, cooking and looking after other younger children, or put to work in restaurants and shops.
This is according to recent figures released by the Cameroon government’s child exploitation and online protection centre.
The Centre says a lot of African children are now being sold into modern-day slavery in Africa and European countries.
The Centre has also bemoaned the slack of access to clean water and the ravaging malaria, victims of HIV/AIDS, education, malnutrition and child labour which still continues haunt the African child inspite of sensitisations.
The centre says young girls who suffer from sexual abuse get pregnant and they end up committing abortion.
It says a lot more young African girls today give birth and abandon the children or throw them in dustbins or pit toilets.
And child rights activists in Cameroon have said the development and growth of children in Africa is faced with obstacles such as poverty.
They have lamented the ravaging HIV/AIDS, malaria, exploitation, negligence and abandonment of African children by family members.
The activists have urged African governments to act urgently to put in place policies and strategies to better the African child.
Ends…///
Three hundred and thirty children from Africa have been trafficked to Britain over the past year.
The children are exploited as domestic slaves, forced to work for hours, cleaning, cooking and looking after other younger children, or put to work in restaurants and shops.
This is according to recent figures released by the Cameroon government’s child exploitation and online protection centre.
The Centre says a lot of African children are now being sold into modern-day slavery in Africa and European countries.
The Centre has also bemoaned the slack of access to clean water and the ravaging malaria, victims of HIV/AIDS, education, malnutrition and child labour which still continues haunt the African child inspite of sensitisations.
The centre says young girls who suffer from sexual abuse get pregnant and they end up committing abortion.
It says a lot more young African girls today give birth and abandon the children or throw them in dustbins or pit toilets.
And child rights activists in Cameroon have said the development and growth of children in Africa is faced with obstacles such as poverty.
They have lamented the ravaging HIV/AIDS, malaria, exploitation, negligence and abandonment of African children by family members.
The activists have urged African governments to act urgently to put in place policies and strategies to better the African child.
Ends…///
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Copper mines in Zambia start normalizing operations after hours of countrywide power blackout.
By John Chola - 17/06/09
Copper mines in Zambia are resuming normal operations after they suspended production for hours following a countrywide power blackout which also affected the neighbopuring Zimbabwe.
On Monday Zambia’s electricity firm ZESCO made frantic efforts for two hours in the night to restore power after a transformer at its 330 kilovolts power station went up in frames.
For the two hours ZESCO tried to rectify the problem Zambia remained under darkness.
During the two hours of blackout some mines suspended operations owing to inadequate and unreliable supply of electricity by ZESCO.
Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC), a company that distributes power to the mines, was compelled to import about 180 megawatts of power from DRC which was supplemented by power generated from its diesel generators.
ZESCO needs US $4 million to replace the damaged generator and other related equipment.
Ends…//
42 million victims of conflict and persecution worldwide are living as refugees or uprooted within their own countries - UNHCR
Among them are nearly 6 million refugees who have been in exile – mostly in camps – for five years or longer in protracted refugee situations.
In a statement released to Kaya FM ahead the June 20 World Refugee Day, António Guterres says 42 million refugees do not include the millions more uprooted people who are displaced within their own countries and who far outnumber the world’s refugees.
The UNHRC Commissioner says many of the victims have been unable to return home for decades.
António Guterres says both refugees and the internally displaced need food, shelter, medical care, sanitation, security, schools for their children and other essentials.
He laments that unfortunately many of the victims are not getting what they need.
UNHCR, which is almost totally dependent on voluntary funding, recently conducted a survey that showed alarming gaps in meeting even basic requirements.
June 20 is World Refugee Day earmarked to remember the 42 million uprooted people around the world who are still waiting to go home.
António Guterres says the 42 million uprooted people around the world are among the most vulnerable people on Earth who must be a priority.
Ends….///
Monday, June 15, 2009
Fifth UN World Bank organized Africa-Asia Business Forum opens in Kampala.
By John Chola
15/06/09
The fifth Africa-Asia Business Forum (AABF V) aimed at attracting more Asian investments for the promotion of tourism on the African continent has commenced in Kampala, Uganda today.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) says 250 participants from more than 30 countries in Africa and Asia are attending the Forum.
The Forum is being held under the theme Forging Business Linkages for Sustainable Tourism Development in Africa.
The Forum will examine strategic directions to foster partnership building and technology transfer in tourism-related industries.
It will also come up with strategies on attracting more Asian tourists to Africa, and generate a boost in investments for the promotion of tourism on the continent.
The Forum is organized by the Government of Japan, World Bank and United Nations agencies.
It is a follow-up to the fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD IV) held in May 2008 in Yokohama.
In 2001 the Forum was held in Durban, South Africa.
The Forum has since generated business prospects worth US $300 billion.
Ends…//
Rupiah Banda is ruling MMD candidate for Zambia poll.
By John Chola
The ruling party in Zambia has endorsed President Rupiah Banda as its candidate in the 2011 elections despite his earlier pledge to rule the Southern African country for only three years.
After a meeting held yesterday the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) says it has resolved that Banda be its sole candidate for the 2011 elections.
Meanwhile Banda says he is ready to contest the presidency on the MMD ticket because the nation wants him to do so.
The spokesperson for the MMD (Benny Tetamashimba) says Banda is no longer viewed as an outsider for he is now recognised by the National Executive Committee (NEC) as the party president.
The 72 years old Banda emerged winner after elections last October following the death of former president Levy Mwanawasa.
Tetamashimba says all NEC members and general party members including those who stood against Banda when the MMD was selecting a candidate to lead the party into the elections last year have supported his candidature.
While Mwanawasa was president he offered Banda the vice presidency.
Banda who served in first President Kenneth Kaunda’s government had retired and concentrated on farming in the Eastern part of Zambia.
Banda has been accused by opposition leader Michael Sata of the Patriotic Front of wining last year's polls fraudulently.
Although Banda has been endorsed by the MMD, he currently faces sharp criticism for failing to uphold the pledge to continue Mwanawasa’s hate for corruption.
Some critical private media and the opposition politicians are challenging him to step down saying he has failed to rule the country.
Zambia is currently experiencing widespread strikes by health workers and civil servants.
Ends……//
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