Section one: child labor
1. Introduction
2. Definitions
3. Aspects of child labor and child work
4. Problems of child labor
Section two: child labor in Lebanon.
1. National Legislations
2. Conventions signed by the Lebanese Government:
· The International Labor Convention, related to minors’ labor at night (industry), revised- 1948.
· The International Labor Convention, related to the minimum age (industry), revised-1937.
· The two International Labor Conventions, related to the medical test of minors (industry), 1946.
· The International Labor Convention concerning the compulsory work, 1930.
· The International Labor Convention concerning the elimination of compulsory work, 1957.
· The International Labor Convention concerning the maximum weight, 1967.
· The International Labor Convention concerning the minimum age (stalkers and their assistants) - 1921.
· The International Labor Convention, revised in 1966.
· The International Labor Convention concerning the worst form of child labor- 1999.
· The International Labor Convention concerning the prevention from the risk of poison resulting from the benzene- 1983.
· The Arab Labor Convention concerning the minors- 1996.
3. Initiatives and the action plan
4. The laws and decrees attached to the Lebanese law of labor
5. Problems of implementation
6. Treatments
7. How can the Lebanese government eliminate child labor?
8. Conclusion
Section one: Child Labor.
1. Introduction:
Child labor is still one of the most neglected human rights issues of our time. The recently adopted United Nations convention on the rights of the child (1986) affirms the right of children to education, self- expression and freedom from exploitative work. Children are not little adults; their fundamental right is to childhood itself.
The first priority of the ILO is the promotion of social justice, including human rights and the implementation of international labor standards. Nowhere are these two aims better united than in the quest to eliminate child labor. Indeed, the abolition of child labor was one of the guiding principles of the ILO’S constitution in 1919, and it remains one of its chief goals. The principle means of action has been the setting of international labor standards. The ILO conventions have had a significant influence nationally and internationally, and most have been incorporated in national legislation. But, as so often happens, the gap between principle and practice can become a chasm. Millions of children currently fall victim to this failure to implement minimum age legislation and provide universal schooling.
Child labor is the major cause of child abuse and exploitation in many parts of the world. No one knows for sure how many children are working. Child work is illegal, and there is often an attempt to conceal it.
2. Definitions:
A. Child work:
Children’s participation in economic activity- that does not negatively affect their health and development or interfere with education can be positive. Work that does not interfere with education (light work) is permitted from the age of 12 under the international labor organization (ILO) convention 138.
B. Child labor:
This is more narrowly defined and refers to children working in contravention of the above standards. This means all children below 12 years of age working in any economic activities, those aged 12 to 14 years engaged in harmful work, and all children engaged in the worst forms of child labor.
C. Worst forms of child labor:
These involve children being enslaved, forcibly recruited, prostituted, trafficked, and forced into illegal activities and exposed to hazardous work.
3. Aspects of child work and child labor:
We can distinguish between child work, which can have a positive effect on the child’s life, and child labor which is against human and children rights in specific. There are also cultural pressures particularly on girls. Employers view children as the cheapest form of labor on the market. Particularly vulnerable to exploitation are children from ethnic minority, low income and low class groups, and girls. One reason for the general lack of attention given to the problem in the past is the perceived difficulty of distinguishing between positive and negative child work. There is, after all, strong common – sense cultural, economic, and educational reasons to support the widely held view that work can be positive on children. Through work, children can gain status as family members and citizens. Work can therefore build their confidence and self-esteem. In this aspect, work can clearly have a positive influence on child development.
4. Problems of child labor:
The problem is that when the condition of work change, the picture changes dramatically. Work turns into exploitation when children:
© Work at a really young age: many children start factory work at age 6 or 7, for example, in the carpet industry.
© Work for long hours: in some cases, 12 to 16 hours per day.
© Work for a really small wage: as little as 3$ for 60 hours a week or no pay at all, as in agriculture.
© Work in hazardous conditions: in mines, quarries, plantations, sweatshops or even on the streets.
© Work under slave- like arrangements: there is an estimation of 20 million child -bonded laborers in south Asia.
Section two: child labor in Lebanon.
1. National legislations
The concern of the Lebanese government with child labour and securing prevention, protection, and convenient care in the different types of their work goes back to more than 50 years when the Lebanese labours’ law was issued in 1946.
This law allowed the employment of the child who is eight years old and above. On the other hand, it prohibited the employment of children, boys and girls, between the age of 13 and 15, in all the mechanical industries. Moreover, the law prohibited the employment of minors in the industries, and conditioned their work in the industries, to a medical certificate that proves their ability to work in these fields. This law has also defined the minors’ working hours, and prevented their employers from obliging them to work at night.
Considering that the legislation is the corner stone of the social work, the Lebanese government worked to render its social legislations up to date, especially those concerning the minors’ labour.
2. Conventions Signed by the Lebanese Government
In this contest, the Lebanese Government indorsed the International and Arab conventions concerning the protection of children and the improvement of their circumstances and conditions. In order to fill in many gaps in this legislation, Lebanon has endorsed the following conventions:
1. The International Labour Convention, related to minors labour at night (industry), revised – 1948:
This convention was endorsed according to the decree 9824, in 22/6/62.
It prohibited the employment of minors who are under the age of 18 during the night, in any public or private industrial establishment except in specific cases. It also gave the minors who are working at night a period of rest that is not less than 13 consecutive hours, between the two work shifts.
2. The International Labour Convention, related to the Minimum age (industry), revised -1937:
This was endorsed according to the legislative decree 7707, in 25/6/77. It prevented hiring or employing minors who are less than the age of 15 in any industrial establishment, public or private, or in any of its branches. On the other hand, it allowed the employment of these minors in establishments in which individuals from the same family work except those jobs that are, by nature or depending on the circumstances of the workplace, dangerous on the life, health, or morals of the workers. It also committed the national legislations to put restrictions on the acceptance of the young persons and juveniles who are older than 15 in such types of jobs.
3. The Two International Conventions, related to the Medical test of minors (industry), 1946, and concerning the medical test for minors (non- industrial work), 1946, concluded according to the legislative decree 70, in 25/6/77.
These conventions stated that it is illegal to employ minors and young people who are less than the age of 18 in an industrial establishment or in non-industrial work, except if the medical test proves their ability to perform in such jobs. Moreover, these conventions imposed the submission of the minor who is less than 18 years to continuous medical tests every year, until they complete the age of 21, in risky and unhealthy work.
4. The International Labour Convention Concerning the Compulsory Work, 1930, concluded according to the Legislative decree 70, in 25/6/77:
This convention is related indirectly to the minors’ Labour since its provisions include all workers. It
Imposes on the country that ratifies it to completely prohibit the compulsory or obligatory work in all its forms. According to this convention, the compulsory or obligatory work means every work or service taken from any person by threatening him/her to be punished, while he/she is unwilling to perform this work. This prohibition does not include any work or service that is taken by force in accordance with the laws of compulsory military service that has pure military characteristics, the work that represents civil duties of the citizens, or that has pure military characteristics and the work that represents civil duties of the citizens, or that is taken by force from a person denounced by a legal judge.
5. The International Labour Convention the Elimination of Compulsory Work, 1957, concluded according to the legislative decree 70, in 25/9/77.
This convention applies to all workers without taking into consideration their age. It imposes on the country that ratifies it to prohibit any form of compulsory or obligatory work, and not impose it as a means of coercion or political direction or as penalty due to certain political or sectarian beliefs contrary to the political, economic, or social system, as a penalty for declaring these beliefs or as a way to impose discipline on the labour force, as a penalty for participating in strikes, or as a means of gender, social, national, or religious discrimination.
6. The International Labour Convention Concerning the Maximum Weight, 1967, concluded according to the legislative decree 70, in 25/6/77:
It restricted the work of women and minors in jobs that contain carrying heavy weight, but it allowed them to carry light weight. While performing these jobs, the maximum weight should be less than the weight allowed for the adult male workers. According to this convention, the expression ‘minor worker’ means every worker who is less than 18 years of age.
7. The International Labour Convention Concerning the Minimum Age (stalkers and their assistants)-1921, Concluded according to the legislative decree 70, in 25/6/77:
This convention legalized the prohibition of minors who are younger than the age of 18 to work on the surface of ships as stalkers or stalkers’ assistants.
8. The International Labour Convention, revised in 1966, and concluded according to the legislative decree 1005, in 9/9/83 :
The convention stated that it is illegal to hire or employ minors who are younger than 15 , on the back of any ship, except for the ships on which individuals from the same family work. It also legalized the exceptions to define this age by 14 year.
9. The International Labour Convention Concerning the worst forms of child labour -1999, concluded according to the law 335, 2/8/2001:
This convention defined the “child” as: every person who is less than 18 years of age. It also defined the expression “the worst form of child labour” as: all the forms of slavery and similar practices, in addition to hiring or employing children or exposing them to immoral purposes, practicing immoral and illegal activities, or to the work that will lead by its nature or because of the circumstances in which it is practiced, to harming the health of the children or their moral behaviour. It also imposed on the state that ratifies it to take immediate and effective measures that ensure the prohibition or the elimination of the worst forms of child labour, in addition to defining the kinds of work that lead to harmful effects on the health, safety, or moral behaviour of the children and the places involving them.
10. The international Labour Convention Concerning the Prevention from the Risk of position resulting from the Benzene – 1983, concluded according to the law 116, in 25/10/99.
This convention prohibited the employment of minor who are younger than 18, in jobs that include exposition to Benzene or products that contain benzene.
11. The Arab Labour Convention Concerning the Minor – 1996, concluded according to the law 183, in 24/5/2000:
This convention contained most of the provisions mentioned in the international labour conventions related to the minor labours. It defined the “minor” as: the person who has completed the age of 13. It prohibited the work for those who are less than thirteen years of age after defining this age in the conventions 1 and 6 as 12 years. It also prevented the legalization of the employment of the minor in industrial work before completing the age of 15, and in the dangerous industries that are harmful to health and morals before they complete the age of 18. Moreover, it stated that the minors’ labour should not conflict with the compulsory education. The convention also mentioned the medical test for the minor and prohibited him from working at night. In addition to that, it limited his work at night as well as his working hours and acknowledged his right to have an annual vacation (21 days), etc…
3. Initiatives and the Action Plan
The phenomenon of child labour in Lebanon, which was not wildly known before 1975, was one of the main concerns of the civil societies and responsible persons who work in the domain of children in the last decade. This phenomenon was evaluated, and its scope was defined. Also, there had been discussions related to addition to the direct and indirect reasons that led to its appearance and the way of dealing with it.
In this context, parliamentary committee for children’s rights was formed in 1991. This committee undertook the responsibility of developing the necessary legislations concerning the children’s rights in addition to paraphrasing the related laws. Moreover, the supreme council of childhood was established. This included the ministries and civil societies that work in the domain of children’s affairs and their development, which formed the consultative context to the interaction of the official and civil sectors, in order to apply the children’s right and implement the articles of the conventions of children’s rights.
After that, the Ministry of Labour, with the cooperation of the international labour organization, wrote a report about child labour in Lebanon. Moreover, it launched a number of initiatives to combat child labour, such as organizing a seminar about the reality of child and minors’ labour in Lebanon.
In this context, parliamentary committee for children’s rights was formed in 1991. This committee undertook the responsibility of developing the necessary legislations concerning the children’s rights in addition to paraphrasing the related laws. Moreover, the supreme council of childhood was established. This included the ministries and civil societies that work in the domain of children’s affairs and their development, which formed the consultative context to the interaction of the official and civil sectors, in order to apply the children’s right and implement the articles of the conventions of children’s rights.
After that, the Ministry of Labour, with the cooperation of the international labour organization, wrote a report about child labour in Lebanon. Moreover, it launched a number of initiatives to combat child labour, such as organizing a seminar about the reality of child and minors’ labour in Lebanon.
In order to follow up the implementation of the recommendations of the aforementioned seminar, the Ministry of Labour and according to the decision 13/1, in 11/2/98, formed the national committee for combating child labour that consists of members of different ministries, the supreme council of childhood, the employers and employees’ organizations, to give consultations to the government concerning the policy of child labour, and to supervise the implementation of the action plan to minimize child labour.
In 1997, a project was launched, supported by the UNICEF, to secure rapid vocational training for working children who are between the ages of 14 and 18.
In 1997, a project was launched, supported by the UNICEF, to secure rapid vocational training for working children who are between the ages of 14 and 18.
In 1999, through the efforts of the project of UNICEF and the office of International Labour, a number of labour inspectors, social security inspectors, health inspectors, and social assistants, were trained on how to make the inspection system effective in order to protect the children’s rights and supervise the implementation of the laws that support these rights.
During the year 2000, the agenda of understanding between the Lebanese government and ILO was signed. It is based on the cooperation in the domain of reinforcing the circumstances to enable the government to prevent child labour, restrict it, gradually organise it, and consequently eliminate it. In implementing the articles mentioned in the agenda of understanding, the minister of labour formed a national committee that undertakes the responsibility of preparing and following up the programs and plans that aim at reinforcing the opportunities in order to enable the Lebanese Government to implement the content of the agenda, with the cooperation of ILO and IPEC, related to the combat of child labour, with other specialized international organizations and national civil bodies, according to the decisions 55/1 in 4/5/2001.
During the year 2000, the agenda of understanding between the Lebanese government and ILO was signed. It is based on the cooperation in the domain of reinforcing the circumstances to enable the government to prevent child labour, restrict it, gradually organise it, and consequently eliminate it. In implementing the articles mentioned in the agenda of understanding, the minister of labour formed a national committee that undertakes the responsibility of preparing and following up the programs and plans that aim at reinforcing the opportunities in order to enable the Lebanese Government to implement the content of the agenda, with the cooperation of ILO and IPEC, related to the combat of child labour, with other specialized international organizations and national civil bodies, according to the decisions 55/1 in 4/5/2001.
These are some of the initiatives that aim at supporting the children’s rights and the effective participation of media in highlighting the contraventions, negligence, or oppression of children, show the awareness of the Lebanese society to the phenomenon of child labour, and their real desire to organise it and restrict it temporarily, in order to eliminate it in the future. Lebanon’s initiative in ratifying Arab and International labour conventions related to child labour, and endorsing the compulsory and free elementary education, is the fruit of this awareness, and a result of the common concern of the state and civil society, to protect the children’s rights, and the concern of Lebanon in its correct development.
4. The Laws and Decrees Attached to the Lebanese Law of Labor
The suggested amendments to some provisions of the Lebanese law of labor that are directly related to the minors’ labor necessitate the reconsideration of the law and decrees related to this law.
Starting from this point, it was suggested to make amendments to the following laws and decrees:
4. The Laws and Decrees Attached to the Lebanese Law of Labor
The suggested amendments to some provisions of the Lebanese law of labor that are directly related to the minors’ labor necessitate the reconsideration of the law and decrees related to this law.
Starting from this point, it was suggested to make amendments to the following laws and decrees:
First: the Decree 700, in 25/5/99
According to article 23 of the Lebanese Law of Labor, amended in the law 536, in 24/7/96, the decree 700 was issued. Article 1 of this decree prohibited the employment of minors before they complete the age of 16 or 17 in dangerous jobs by their nature, and jobs that are dangerous to the life, health, or morals of the minors due to the conditions in which they are performed, and that are mentioned in table 1 attached to this decree (A).
According to article 23 of the Lebanese Law of Labor, amended in the law 536, in 24/7/96, the decree 700 was issued. Article 1 of this decree prohibited the employment of minors before they complete the age of 16 or 17 in dangerous jobs by their nature, and jobs that are dangerous to the life, health, or morals of the minors due to the conditions in which they are performed, and that are mentioned in table 1 attached to this decree (A).
Article 2 of the same decree allowed the acceptance of minors who did not complete the age of 17 in one of the factories for the purpose of technical vocational training and guidance, provided that this submits to the approval of the ministry of labor, in addition to getting a medical certificate for the minor from the Ministry of Public Health.
Article 3 of the International Convention Concerning the Minimum Age (1973), that will be ratified, did not legalize the minimum age of less than 18 to be accepted in any kind of labor that might expose the minor’s health, safety, or morals to danger, due to its nature or the conditions in which it is performed.
Article 3 of the International Convention Concerning the Minimum Age (1973), that will be ratified, did not legalize the minimum age of less than 18 to be accepted in any kind of labor that might expose the minor’s health, safety, or morals to danger, due to its nature or the conditions in which it is performed.
On the other hand, article 6 of the convention excluded from the domain of its implementation the labor performed by children and minors in the schools for the purposes of public education or vocational and technical training, and in other training institutions and establishments, if this work is a basic part to learning and training sessions of a guidance program that aims at facilitating the choice of the career or the kind of training.
The decree 700, that was implemented before the Lebanese government submitted C.138 to be ratified, did not take into consideration the provisions mentioned in article 3 of this convention. This decree should be amended to be compatible with the new provisions.
On the bases of what was mentioned previously, it was suggested to amend the decree 700, in 25/5/99, related to the prohibition of the employment of minors before completing the age of 16 or 17 in dangerous labor by its nature, and which is dangerous to the minors life, health, or morals, as follows:
Article 1:
“It is prohibited to employ or hire the minors before they complete the age of 18 in any kind of work that might subject the minor’s health, safety, or morals to danger, due to its nature or the nature of the conditions”
Article 2:
“The acceptance of the minors who are less than 18 years of age in the labor performed in the factories, and that form a basic part of a training program or a guidance program that aims at facilitating the choice of a career or any kind of training, submits to the previous approval of the Ministry of Labor and getting a medical certificate for the minors from the Ministry of Public Health.
The decree 700, that was implemented before the Lebanese government submitted C.138 to be ratified, did not take into consideration the provisions mentioned in article 3 of this convention. This decree should be amended to be compatible with the new provisions.
On the bases of what was mentioned previously, it was suggested to amend the decree 700, in 25/5/99, related to the prohibition of the employment of minors before completing the age of 16 or 17 in dangerous labor by its nature, and which is dangerous to the minors life, health, or morals, as follows:
Article 1:
“It is prohibited to employ or hire the minors before they complete the age of 18 in any kind of work that might subject the minor’s health, safety, or morals to danger, due to its nature or the nature of the conditions”
Article 2:
“The acceptance of the minors who are less than 18 years of age in the labor performed in the factories, and that form a basic part of a training program or a guidance program that aims at facilitating the choice of a career or any kind of training, submits to the previous approval of the Ministry of Labor and getting a medical certificate for the minors from the Ministry of Public Health.
The concept of dangerous labor to minors is still unclear, because the line which specifies the dangerous labor, which mainly depends on the quality of work and the efforts it requires, in addition to the maturity of the minor worker and his/her susceptibility to be exposed to harm, is still vague. The definition of the cases of the most extremely dangerous labor on the health and safety is an easy task. According to separating between the acceptable and unacceptable cases, it is an issue that requires sufficient skills in addition to acquiring the combination of the knowledge of specialists in minors’ labor and that of specialists in the dangerous labor to define the dangerous labor and its consequences on the life and health of the minor worker.
Second: The Law 36/67, in 16/5/97:
This law defined the minimum salary for the workers and employees, and the average of livelihood expenses starting from 1/1/67. In article 1, it is stated that the minimum salary “applies to all workers, males and females, who completed the age of 20, and work in an institution for a full time job of this institution for each category of workers, and they do not do any work in another place and earn a salary.”
This text is no longer accepted because it contradicts with the reality that proves that minors who are between the ages of 15-20 work, most of the time, in the same conditions or in similar jobs performed by those who are 20 years of age and above. Article 215 of the law of obligations and contracts also considers that every person who completed the age of 18 is capable of commitment to work unless it is stated that he lacks the capacity in legislation.
Third: The decree 11019, in 7/10/68 (organizing the training contract):
Article 7 of the Arab Covenant of labor stated that the Arab countries should agree on placing a plan for vocational training that is compatible with the needs and aims of economic and social development. Moreover, the ratified International convention 142 concerning technical vocational training and guidance demanded the member state to decide and develop global and coordinated politics and programs for technical vocational training and guidance, that encourage all the persons, without any discrimination, to develop their job capacities and empower them to their own good and convenient to their wishes, by taking into consideration the needs of society.
Second: The Law 36/67, in 16/5/97:
This law defined the minimum salary for the workers and employees, and the average of livelihood expenses starting from 1/1/67. In article 1, it is stated that the minimum salary “applies to all workers, males and females, who completed the age of 20, and work in an institution for a full time job of this institution for each category of workers, and they do not do any work in another place and earn a salary.”
This text is no longer accepted because it contradicts with the reality that proves that minors who are between the ages of 15-20 work, most of the time, in the same conditions or in similar jobs performed by those who are 20 years of age and above. Article 215 of the law of obligations and contracts also considers that every person who completed the age of 18 is capable of commitment to work unless it is stated that he lacks the capacity in legislation.
Third: The decree 11019, in 7/10/68 (organizing the training contract):
Article 7 of the Arab Covenant of labor stated that the Arab countries should agree on placing a plan for vocational training that is compatible with the needs and aims of economic and social development. Moreover, the ratified International convention 142 concerning technical vocational training and guidance demanded the member state to decide and develop global and coordinated politics and programs for technical vocational training and guidance, that encourage all the persons, without any discrimination, to develop their job capacities and empower them to their own good and convenient to their wishes, by taking into consideration the needs of society.
5. Problems of Implementation:
The responsibility of implementing the Arab and International labor criteria should be undertaken by the Ministry of Labor in the first place. One of the main obstacles that hinder the success of this responsibility lies in the weakness of mechanisms of implementation. The problems of implementation appear in the domain of child and minors labor more than any other domain for many reasons, the most important of which are:
The responsibility of implementing the Arab and International labor criteria should be undertaken by the Ministry of Labor in the first place. One of the main obstacles that hinder the success of this responsibility lies in the weakness of mechanisms of implementation. The problems of implementation appear in the domain of child and minors labor more than any other domain for many reasons, the most important of which are:
Ø Most children and minors work in sectors that are excluded in most countries (including Lebanon) from the coverage of the law of labor.
Ø The absence of labor inspection from the control of implementing the provisions related to the employment or hiring of children and minors in these sectors.
Ø The ignorance of employers, parents, and guardians and sometimes the labor inspectors, of the laws related to child and minors labor.
Ø The inefficiency of penalties, so that they are unspecified, or ineffective.
6. Treatments:
In order to eliminate the obstacles that hinder the safety of implementing the procedures to insure the effective implementation of the provisions related to the circumstances and conditions of employing or hiring children and minors, it is supposed, in the first place, to reinforce the Ministry of Labor with a specialized administrative unit that is aware of the problem, and to introduce the people with the laws implemented on this employment in a special way.
This unit will be supported by a sufficient well-trained team of inspectors to discover the violations in employing or hiring children and minors, work on correcting it by offering information and advice related to the effective ways that guarantee the commitment to the concerned provisions and control and insure its implementation.
Today, the administrative office of the Ministry of Labor in Lebanon includes: a department for protecting the families and associations, and a department for protecting minors. After the establisment of an independent ministry for social affairs, most of the responsibilities and authorities of these two departments were removed, so that their work became paralyzed. The Ministry of labor is committed, since it is responsible for all the labor issues, to reconsider its responsibilities and restructure its administration, to be compatible with its increasing responsibilities day after day, and make it more effective at the national, regional, and international levels.
Ø The absence of labor inspection from the control of implementing the provisions related to the employment or hiring of children and minors in these sectors.
Ø The ignorance of employers, parents, and guardians and sometimes the labor inspectors, of the laws related to child and minors labor.
Ø The inefficiency of penalties, so that they are unspecified, or ineffective.
6. Treatments:
In order to eliminate the obstacles that hinder the safety of implementing the procedures to insure the effective implementation of the provisions related to the circumstances and conditions of employing or hiring children and minors, it is supposed, in the first place, to reinforce the Ministry of Labor with a specialized administrative unit that is aware of the problem, and to introduce the people with the laws implemented on this employment in a special way.
This unit will be supported by a sufficient well-trained team of inspectors to discover the violations in employing or hiring children and minors, work on correcting it by offering information and advice related to the effective ways that guarantee the commitment to the concerned provisions and control and insure its implementation.
Today, the administrative office of the Ministry of Labor in Lebanon includes: a department for protecting the families and associations, and a department for protecting minors. After the establisment of an independent ministry for social affairs, most of the responsibilities and authorities of these two departments were removed, so that their work became paralyzed. The Ministry of labor is committed, since it is responsible for all the labor issues, to reconsider its responsibilities and restructure its administration, to be compatible with its increasing responsibilities day after day, and make it more effective at the national, regional, and international levels.
To begin from this point, the following was suggested:
Ø The establishment of a service in the administrative office of the Ministry of labor that includes the following departments:
1- The department of combating the employment of children and minors.
2- The department of labor for the affairs of people with disabilities.
3- The department of the working woman.
7. How can the Lebanese Government Eliminate Child Labor?
The Lebanese government can actually eliminate child labor by becoming aware of the problem, insisting to put an end to it and preparing suitable climate in addition to opportunities and possibilities that might lead to its abolition. The aim can be achieved by taking a number of procedures on the national level. The most important procedures are the following:
Ø Lebanon’s commitment to fill the current gaps in its national legislation by adopting the provisions related to the children, their rights and working conditions mentioned in the ratified Arab and International Conventions, namely that is considered a necessary tool for developing a complete strategy against employing or hiring the children.
Ø Giving the priority to free and compulsory education.
Ø Adopting an action program for a period of time for the elimination of child labor, and especially its worst forms.
Ø Securing the systems of protection, rehabitation, career guidance and vocational training.
Ø Coming up with a clear and active mechanism to reinforce the procedures and implement them.
Ø Uniting the activities of the state and civil organizations concerned with child labor in one national body that has the authority and force.
Ø Considering the worst forms of child labor a crime and imposing severe penalty on the person committing it.
Ø Strengthening the cooperation between the International labor Organization and Lebanon in order to enable the Lebanese government to implement its action plan to gradually eliminate child labor.
Ø The establishment of a service in the administrative office of the Ministry of labor that includes the following departments:
1- The department of combating the employment of children and minors.
2- The department of labor for the affairs of people with disabilities.
3- The department of the working woman.
7. How can the Lebanese Government Eliminate Child Labor?
The Lebanese government can actually eliminate child labor by becoming aware of the problem, insisting to put an end to it and preparing suitable climate in addition to opportunities and possibilities that might lead to its abolition. The aim can be achieved by taking a number of procedures on the national level. The most important procedures are the following:
Ø Lebanon’s commitment to fill the current gaps in its national legislation by adopting the provisions related to the children, their rights and working conditions mentioned in the ratified Arab and International Conventions, namely that is considered a necessary tool for developing a complete strategy against employing or hiring the children.
Ø Giving the priority to free and compulsory education.
Ø Adopting an action program for a period of time for the elimination of child labor, and especially its worst forms.
Ø Securing the systems of protection, rehabitation, career guidance and vocational training.
Ø Coming up with a clear and active mechanism to reinforce the procedures and implement them.
Ø Uniting the activities of the state and civil organizations concerned with child labor in one national body that has the authority and force.
Ø Considering the worst forms of child labor a crime and imposing severe penalty on the person committing it.
Ø Strengthening the cooperation between the International labor Organization and Lebanon in order to enable the Lebanese government to implement its action plan to gradually eliminate child labor.
8. Conclusion
I hope that Lebanon will be able to succeed in eliminating all the extreme and worst forms of child labor in order to help the children enjoy a fruitful future that protects them from the dangers of work and its influence on their physical, mental, and psychological development.
It must never be forgotten that it is people who bring about development. There can be no change for the better without the informed participation of people, without mobilizing their capabilities and energies, and without increasing their knowledge and skills. Effective communication is, therefore, one of the key conditions for success. Child labor remains a problem because it is invisible. The most exploited children go unnoticed. The first and most important step towards protecting them is to bring their situation out into the open, to the attention of the government, campaigning groups and the general public.
It must never be forgotten that it is people who bring about development. There can be no change for the better without the informed participation of people, without mobilizing their capabilities and energies, and without increasing their knowledge and skills. Effective communication is, therefore, one of the key conditions for success. Child labor remains a problem because it is invisible. The most exploited children go unnoticed. The first and most important step towards protecting them is to bring their situation out into the open, to the attention of the government, campaigning groups and the general public.
