Governments urged to ratify child labour pact

African governments were urged to ratify the ILO's Convention 182 on the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour at an Organisation of African Unity (OAU) meeting held on 9-14 April in Yamoussoukro, Côte d'Ivoire. Delegates at the 24th session of the OAU's Labour and Social Affairs Commission noted that only 20 African governments had ratified the convention, which seeks to protect children from the situations akin to slavery to which many are subjected in various parts of the world.

According to a conference report, it was recommended that Africa reaffirm its commitment to fighting child labour. Member states that have ratified Convention 182 should implement it while education should be a main component of efforts to combat child labour, delegates said. The meeting was attended by representatives of 27 African states, UN agencies and non-governmental organisations.