Bans on child labour don’t work because they ignore why children work in the first place. If we truly care about working children, we need to start trying to keep them safe in work rather than insisting that they end work entirely. Our panelists, all advocates for child workers, offer us a new way forward.
The Panelists:
Kavita Ratna: Director of Advocacy at The Concerned for Working Children
Claire O'Kane: Independent consultant on child rights
Mavuto Banda: Former child worker and current doctoral student
Mohammed Al-Rozzi: Research Associate at the University of Bath
Cameron Thibos: Editor, Beyond Trafficking and Slavery (Chair)
Empower and protect, rather than prohibit: a better approach to child work
Child labour isn’t going anywhere, so children’s safety in work must become the priority
Edward van Daalen
Banning child labour jeopardises working children’s right to survive
Trying to ‘eliminate’ child labour only pushes working children into the shadows
Kavita Ratna
My childhood as a child worker in Malawi
Our author wouldn’t be where he is today if bans on child labour had prevented him from working when he needed to
Mavuto Banda
Are adults willing to listen to children on child labour?
Working children have the right to policies informed by their views and best interests
Claire O’Kane
