Amman, November 20 (Petra) – The Ministry of Labor launched a campaign, themed: "A Child Learns... Jordan Progresses" to mark World Children's Day (WCD), which falls on November 20 annually.
Under the initiative,ministry teams will conduct inspection tours, beginning on November 16 for two weeks, across all governorates of the Kingdom.
This effort aims to ensure employers' compliance with the Jordan Labor Law and prevent recruitment of children in violation of its provisions.
The ministry is also conducting a slew of awareness workshops for employers and children, focusing on national legislation and the occupational hazards, which children may face in the workplace.
In a statement on Thursday, the ministry's spokesperson, Mohammad Zyoud, said: "The world has designated November 20 annually as WCD to highlight children's rights and protect them from all forms of exploitation, including child labor. " Zyoud added that this day serves as an opportunity to call for concerted efforts to reduce this phenomenon by the three parties involved in production process: Governments, employers, and workers, as well as all segments of local communities and civil society organizations.
Zyoud indicated that the Jordan Labor Law aligns with the key international conventions ratified by Jordan in the field of combating child labor, mainly Convention on the Rights of the Child issued by the United Nations General Assembly, and International Labor Conventions No. 138 concerning the "Minimum Age for Admission to Employment" and No. 182 for the "Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour." Zyoud added that the Jordan Labor Law prohibits the recruitment of any child under the age of 16 in any capacity, and prohibits their employment in hazardous, strenuous, or unhealthy work before the age of 18.
On its efforts to combat the phenomenon , he announced the ministry visited approximately 6,041 establishments from the beginning of this year until the end of October, uncovering 154 child labor cases and issuing 37 warnings and 85 tickets to violating employers.
The ministry, he stated, also conducted 4 specialized inspection campaigns for child labor, focusing on sectors with the "highest rates" of child employment.
Zyoud noted the ministry received 92 complaints on the "Himaya" electronic platform on the rights of working children and 26 reports from citizens about child labor cases in the labor market.
The ministry also implemented 28 awareness-raising activities about the dangers of child labor, he pointed out.
//Petra// AG
