The April 2008 edition Southern African Child Labour Link on child labour issues in our region is attached, and also available by going to www.child-labour.org.za (click the newsletter icon in the right-hand sidebar). 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.

This edition reflects progress made around the region in winning top-level endorsement for national action plans on combating child labour. Three countries endorsed such plans in the first quarter of 2008: Namibia, Botswana and Swaziland.

Our lead story describes an innovative project in South Africa that aims to focus the legal process of asset forfeiture on perpetrators of some of the worst forms of child labour.

Other stories:

• Tackling child trafficking on a regional basis,
• TECL II (a new project of support on action against child labour),
• South-South: what can we learn from Brazil and India?
• South African developments on social grants, which are important for child labour action since they help to address poverty in the country.

Journalists are free to quote this newsletter in any reports or stories.

More information on most of these topics can be found on www.child-labour.org.za

A new feature on the website: Go listen to radio advertisements on child labour in the 11 official languages in South Africa. The writing and production of the adverts were contracted by TECL, and the airing was, and will be, paid for by the SA Department of Labour. Listen by going to www.child-labour.org.za and then click on the image of the radio in the right hand top corner!

We look forward to your comments on this edition, or any issue relevant to child labour –email us at webmaster@tecl.org.za.

Child Labour Link Editorial Team