The December 2007 newsletter on child labour issues in our region is out and available through the link below or at www.child-labour.org.za (click the newsletter icon). The website and the newsletter form part of the support that the programme Towards the Elimination of worst forms of Child Labour provides in South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland.

You can also click here for the full newsletter in pdf format.
If you have any problems to get the newsletter, please send an email to webmaster@tecl.org.za.

Please forward the newsletter to others whom you feel may be interested.
For them: Click HERE to subscribe to the Southern African Child Labour Link, or to country-specific updates.

Dawie Bosch
Programme Towards the Elimination of the worst forms of Child Labour (TECL)
International Labour Organisation, Pretoria

• Supporting the implementation of the Child Labour Programme of Action in South Africa (lead: Department of Labour)
• And assisting in the drafting of national child labour action plans in Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland (lead: the various ministries responsible for labour)

These are the stories in the December newsletter :

Grassroots insights steer Botswana plan
The Botswana Action Plan on the Elimination of Labour was critically influenced by a final consultation process involving children, adult community members and service providers.

Windhoek conference planned
Namibia is to hold its first national conference on child labour.
   
Botswana surveys child work
The Botswana Labour Force Survey has established that 9% of the country’s 427 977 children are engaged in economic activity.   

Case for tighter liquor laws
Thousands of children across SA are estimated to be working in taverns, shebeens and bars.   
   
Citizens make a difference
Furious Pietermaritzburg householders took action when they found pre-teen children struggling to carry their garbage to the council’s waste disposal truck.    
   
Light flashing in agriculture
The injury and death of children at work serve as a flashing red light to indicate areas where conditions may be so hazardous that the employment of children should be regarded as practising one of the worst forms of child labour.    
   
Legislation given the nod
The South African National Council of Provinces has given the nod to the Sexual Offences Bill and the Children’s Amendment Bill. Both have important provisions on child labour.

The production of this newsletter was partly funded by the Unites States Department of Labour, under cooperative agreement number E-9-K-3-0005. This document does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of governments of the countries where TECL operates, or of the US government, nor does mention of organizations or not imply endorsement by any of these governments.