manual: women workers' rights and gender equality - International ...

story 2:
Kolab, 12 years old, flower garland seller:
Every morning I wake up very early to make the flower garlands I have to sell during the
day. I earn very little money and more than half of it I have to pay to the person who brings
the flowers. I try to get a good spot in the city but you have to be early otherwise other kids
already took the busy crossings. Sometimes a friendly person gives you more money. I go
to see a movie sometimes.
Step 3
• Discuss the stories using the following questions:
- Is the work Châk and Kolab are doing child labour?
- Why or why not?
- What other forms of child labour can participants think of?
- Do they know what the effects of child labour are?
- Is there child labour in their community?
- In which sectors?
- Can they think of a way to solve this problem?
- What can they do themselves?
Step 4
• Ask the participants to think of their own children, what are they doing the whole day?
- Do they go to school?
- Is this the same for sons and daughters?
- What can they do to give fair changes to both sons and daughters?
Step 5
• Summarize the discussion and give the effects of child labour on children
Notes for the trainer 4
Child Labour
A definition of child labour is: All work which is harmful to a child’s health and development.
The examples used in the exercise are explained as follows:
The work done by Bopha is not necessarily harmful. It does not put her health in danger. It is not
her only activity. She has time to go to school and play with her friends. Bopha’s work is not
considered to be child labour. Pidor on the other hand, does not get the opportunity to play or to
get basic education because she works the whole day. Pidor’s work is a form of child labour.
The two children in the stories are also engaged in child labour. Both are under the minimum age.
Both are doing work that is harmful to their health and development. They do not go to school.
Child labour in Cambodia
One of the fundamental ILO Conventions is no. 182: Worst Forms of Child Labour. This
Convention is about the elimination of the worst forms of child labour. Among the worst forms of
child labour are: all forms of slavery, prostitution or pornography, work which is likely to harm the
health, safety or morals of children and illicit activities like trafficking or production of drugs.
Convention 182 is not yet ratified by the Cambodian Government but Convention 138 on minimum
age is.
4 Based on: Child Labour – An Information Kit for Teachers, Educators and their Organizations, book 1, ILO, Geneva, 1998.
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