By Amin Kef Sesay
Founder and CEO of the Pleasant Children’s Foundation, Marian Pleasant Kargbo stated on the 12th June 2020 that her organization works to improve the lot of orphans, street children and less privileged kids. She postulated that “Children should not work in Fields but rather on dreams”.
She stated that as the world observes “Day Against
Child Labour” it is an opportunity to appeal to the Government of Sierra Leone, private institutions, partners and individuals working for the welfare of children to implement already established policies that are enshrined for the protection of our children.
“Across the country, we see the rate at which our children are suffering by getting them involved in child labour.
Street trading, sand mining, construction work, agricultural activities, fishing, among others, have become the order of the day; some parents prefer sending their kids to sell, instead of sending them to school. Their excuse is that the kids need to go and find money for them. I have seen kids afraid of going home just because they lost monies after selling for their caregivers/ parents. We are living in a world wherein our children are becoming vulnerable by the day, and Sierra Leone is not an exception.
2021 has been declared by the UN General Assembly as the year for the Elimination of Child Labour and has asked the International Labour Organization to take the lead in its Implementation. The International Year will be an ideal opportunity to reinvigorate efforts to achieve SDG 8.7 to end all forms of child labour by 2025,” she highlighted.
The activist maintained that children around the world are routinely engaged in paid and unpaid forms of works that are harmful to them.
She said they are classified as child labour when they are either too young to work, or are involved in hazardous activities that may compromise their physical, mental, social or educational developments.
“Almost one in ten of all children worldwide are in child labour. We need to step up our game and protect our children- let us save them from the odds of society. Let’s now stop the discussion and implement the laws and policies. Our children are suffering, and they don’t deserve what’s happening to them. Again I ask, what is Sierra Leone doing in this fight?” Marian Pleasant Kargbo ended up asking.
