TECL II
TECL Implementation Plan: Namibia
The programme Towards the Elimination of worst forms of Child Labour (TECL) adopted a four-stage plan that would culminate in the finalisation of a national programme of action on child labour that had the support of the Namibian Government and major stakeholders.
Stage 1 involved the setting up of the country secretariat, the establishment of the PACC and the convening of a strategic planning workshop.
Stage 2 focused on scoping and design of specific projects and selecting the rapid assessment studies to be conducted. The secretariat and the PACC played a key role in determining these priorities.
Stage 3 was a period of implementation, self-evaluation and further planning in the light of the evaluation process.
Stage 4 centred on final evaluation, including self-evaluation and planning for continuation, plus the sharing of best practices and lessons learnt among partners in the sub-region.
Nature of interventions
Stream 1: Building knowledge on worst forms of child labour
Rapid assessment studies focused on the following:
- Children used by adults to commit crime (CUBAC). The practice was perceived to exist and the study would establish the extent to which police and justice officials were investigating the possible involvement of adults in crimes committed by children.
- Child trafficking. The aim was to obtain reliable information on a phenomenon on which only anecdotal evidence existed. Links to the use of children in domestic service and commercial agriculture would be explored.
- Children performing hazardous work in the production of charcoal. The study was intended to lay the ground for action to return children of school-going age to school and enforce safety measures for older children.
- Updating the survey on activities of young people.
Stream 2: Strengthening consultation on child labour
This was to focus on the review of available data and the legal and policy analysis undertaken during the initial scoping study in 2003. The purpose was to prepare a comprehensive, up-to-date discussion document on child labour that would serve as a tool to engage stakeholders and utilise their expertise to develop an even more informed overview.
Stream 3: Formulating a programme of action
The Namibian Programme Advisory Committee on Child Labour (PACC) committed itself to formulating an Action Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour. This stream would focus on a broad consultation process with adults and children to identify key child labour concerns in various parts of the country and to discuss action steps. The process produced the first draft of the Action Programme. A second draft would form the basis of negotiations with key Ministries and a final draft would be put forward for consideration and adoption in the third quarter of 2007.
Stream 4: Sharing of experience and best practice
The exchange of information and experience was to occur not only across the country but also with other countries in the region.
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