Child trafficking workshop opens

A three-day workshop aimed at strengthening efforts to fight child trafficking in West and Central Africa began on Wednesday in Libreville, Gabon. The Second Sub-Regional Consultation on Cross-Border Child Trafficking has been organised by Gabon's government, the UN Children's Fund and the International Labour Organisation. Its agenda includes reviewing regional efforts since February 2000 when the First Sub-Regional Consultation on Cross-Border Child Trafficking was held. Participants will also exchange information on national anti-trafficking strategies and discuss closer regional cooperation. The meeting, opened by Gabonese Vice President Didjob Divungi Di Ndinge, is also seen as an opportunity to encourage governments to ratify international agreements that seek to protect children, especially ILO conventions 138 (on the minimum age for employment) and 182, which calls for immediate action to ban the worst forms of child labour. Participants, who include legal experts, NGOs representatives, ministers and security officials, will also address the repatriation and reintegration of formerly exploited children, the prevention of trafficking and ways to strengthen institutional frameworks to combat the practise. Gabon's Minister of Labour urged participants to work towards the implementation of protection instruments that "will free our children from the chains" of under-age labour and other illegal activities because "these children are the African leaders of tomorrow". The meeting ends on Friday. During the last meeting, held in Libreville in 2000, participants pledged to consolidate regional anti-trafficking efforts.