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Technical Cooperation Project Summary

Project Title

National Program for the Prevention and Elimination of Child Labor in Jamaica

ILAB Program

International Child Labor Technical Assistance

Region/Country

THE AMERICAS/Jamaica

Project Duration

October 2001 – March 2004

Fiscal Year & Funding Level

FY2001: USD 562,687

Problem to be Addressed

Within a context of poverty and inadequate legislative and enforcement mechanisms, concern about child labor is increasing in Jamaica. There are no current, reliable data on the number of child laborers.

Results

The project withdrew or prevented 1,283 children from the worst forms of child labor in both urban and rural areas in Jamaica.

Project Objectives

Development Objective:
To contribute to the progressive elimination of the worst forms of child labor in Jamaica.

Immediate Objectives

  • Create a comprehensive information system that will incorporate quantitative and qualitative information on child labor to use for policy and program development;
  • Strengthen the institutional capacity of relevant government institutions to enforce child labor laws and to develop and implement policies and programs to prevent child labor;
  • Withdraw and rehabilitate 600 children from hazardous work and prevent 300 children from engaging in child labor; and
  • Affect social attitudes toward children and their educational rights through enhanced awareness of the complex problems associated with child labor.

Summary of Activities
  • Developed a national information database on child labor and a tracking system to monitor the target group;
  • Assisted and trained labor inspectors;
  • Organized national workshops to train employers and workers organizations, NGOs, and other key stakeholders about the issue;
  • Developed and implemented action programs to withdraw and rehabilitate children engaged in child labor, and to prevent additional children from working;
  • Provided economic alternatives to families of formerly working children; and
  • Raised awareness among the public and media about the issue of child labor.

Partner Organizations

Executing Agency
International Labor Organization’s International Program on the Elimination of Child Labor (ILO-IPEC)

Implementing and Collaborating Agencies
Ministry of Labor and Social Security; Ministry of Education and Culture; Ministry of Health; Children First; Sam Sharpe Teacher’s College, Western Society for the Upliftment of Children, Bureau of Women’s Affairs, Jamaican Confederation of Trade Unions, National Council on Education, UNICEF.

Contact Information

Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor, and Human Trafficking (OCFT)

(202) 693-4843