Government of Sri Lanka Raises Awareness on International Day Against Child Labor

Fifty awareness programs on issues pertaining to the problem of child labor, have been organized for parents island wide with the help of District Labour Offices, according to the Ministry of Labour Relations and Manpower.

According to statistics of the International labour Organization (ILO), there are more than 165 million children between the ages of 5 to 14 engaged in child labor. The intention of an International Labour Day is to eradicate child labor whatever form it takes.

According to the Women, Youth, and Child Labour Act No.47 of 1956 engaging a child below 14 in hard work is a punishable offense. In Sri Lanka anyone flouting this regulation is liable to incur a fine not exceeding Rs 10,000 or a jail sentence not exceeding one year or both. Such an accused if found guilty is liable to pay a sum decided by the Judge as compensation to the abused child.

The ILO hopes to eliminate the worst forms of child labor by the year 2016.

Source: Government of Sri Lanka

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