Thursday, 12 June 2008

Cambodian children march against child labour

ABC News

Cambodian school children have taken to the streets to mark World Against Child Labour Day, calling for parents to send their kids to school, rather than forcing them to work.

About 500 children marched through the capital carrying placards and banners with slogans such as "Work is not necessary for children, but schooling is," and "Child labour is unjust for children".

The demonstration was organised by the International Labour Organisation with the Cambodian Government.

One of the marchers, 15-year-old student Roeun Ra, said his parents used to make him work by scavenging through garbage.

"Many of my friends cannot go to school because their parents ask them to work for money," the boy said.

The World Bank said that last year about 1.5 million Cambodians under the age of 14 were forced to work, often in hazardous conditions.

Chey Chab, undersecretary of state at the Ministry of Education, told marchers the Government was working to prevent the children from being exploited.

"Children are like bamboo shoots and are the [future] strong force for the country," he said in a speech, calling on all people to "take care, protect, and think of the interest of children".

Following years of civil unrest and Government mismanagement, Cambodia remains mired in poverty, with more than 30 per cent of its 14 million people living on less than 50 US cents per day.

- AFP

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