Government to Develop Light and Hazardous Work List for Children

The Government of Jamaica will be developing a Light and Hazardous Work List, which will outline specific activities that children are restricted from participating in, so as to prevent them from engaging in hazardous work.

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Shahine Robinson, said the list will better guide Jamaicans “as to what children are allowed to be engaged in and the (activities) they are restricted from engaging in”.

She was speaking at the launch of the Country Level Engagement and Assistance to Reduce Child Labour (CLEAR II) Project at the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel in St. Andrew on Tuesday (June 26).

The Light and Hazardous Work List is one of five activities of the CLEAR II project, which is being undertaken by the Ministry through support from non-profits Winrock International and Lawyers Without Borders.

At the launch, Mrs. Robinson and Senior Director, Civil Society and Education, Winrock International, David Dobrowolski, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the start of the project activities.

According to a release from Winrock International, Light and Hazardous Work Lists allow governments to protect children and youth from participating in work that would be considered harmful to their health and safety, by naming specific activities that are allowable and unallowable for minors.

CLEAR II intends to provide technical assistance to the Occupational Health and Safety Department and the Child Labour Unit to review and finalise regulations pertaining to child labour, including light work and hazardous works lists, under the Occupational Safety and Health Bill.

As part of the undertaking, Winrock and Lawyers Without Borders will work with the Labour Ministry to strengthen legislation that addresses child labour issues, including bringing national laws into compliance with international standards; improve monitoring and enforcement of laws and policies related to child labour; and ensure effective implementation of national plans of action on child labour.

CLEAR II activities in Jamaica will also focus on the implementation of child labour prosecution training of trainers; development of a national action plan to combat child labour; organisation of a child protection collaboration workshop and coordination plan; and provide support for a study on street children.

The project is funded by the United States Department of Labour under a cooperative agreement with Winrock International.