Speech by Jason Befus, Technical Advisor from Winrock Headquarters in USA
Launch of CHES Project
Phnom Penh, 12 March 2008
Chairperson, H.E. Vong Sauth, Minister of Labor and Vocational Training Chief Guest, H.E. Dr. Kol Pheng, Senior Minister of Education, Youth and Sports Guest of Honor, H.E. Joseph A. Mussomeli, Ambassador of United States of America for Cambodia
High level delegates and representatives from the Royal Government of Cambodia, International and Cambodian Development Agencies, Child representatives, Winrock partners, ladies and gentlemen,
It is my privilege on behalf of Winrock International to welcome you to the CHES Project Launch. Winrock International implements the CHES project as part of a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor International Child Labor Program Education Initiative, We carry out the Initiative with our partners through proposing and implementing innovative methods and solutions to break the cycle of hazardous child labor, poverty, lack of educational alternatives and access to quality education for all children. The Department of Labor has worked closely with the International Labor Organization for many years through its International Program on the Elimination of Child Labor to protect and ensure the rights and laws related to work and labor of children and youth. Winrock shares the ILO platform expressed in the ILO Global Report which is that “child labor is an indicator of social and economic development.”
As economies and educational indicators go up, child labor goes down. Winrock takes a holistic, development approach to addressing the complexities of culture, behavior change, tradition, economic and social need and biases concerning education -. Winrock with its partners, brings a development approach to rights, child protection, and improved livelihoods. Winrock provides capacity building to its partners as leaders in sustainable long-tern solutions to end hazardous child labor and ensure education for all children.
We are aware that there are many views and attitudes concerning hazardous child labor and education but we understand that there is often a lack of information or options, especially for rural and low income people, to make rational choices concerning their children’s futures and family livelihoods. The CHES project will pave the way for families to have alternatives to the cycle of child labor and lack of access to quality education. We find that given a choice for safe, affordable, and relevant education, parents and children are eager to support and participate in education.
What are the principal causes of hazardous child labor and lessons learned? It is not so simple or complicated. We think the reasons are cultural, economic, and lack of information and choice. We especially note the lack of rural development in many undertakings that will be constraints to solutions since over 70% of child labor takes place in rural areas in agricultural environments. We believe that investment in women and access to inputs and knowledge can be determinants to children’s work and levels of education. We have learned that education of men is important and working with men and women together builds partnerships and increases chances for community participation and ownership of improved livelihoods. We also find that a lack of awareness of the hazards of child labor is an impediment to change. People have a right, a responsibility to understand the Jaws that protect them and their families and their communities and a right to organize and bring education, health, and municipal services to their communities. Finally, we bring a child centered approach that involves the children in a thoughtful and responsible way as leaders of the next generation.
We would like to invite each of you, as stakeholders and advocates, to coordinate with the CHES project so together we can create a better environment for children in Cambodia. Once again, welcome and thank you for coming!