Child Workers in Asia

Child Workers in Asia (CWA) - association of about 70 non-governmental organizations and groups, defending rights of children in the sphere of child labour in 14 countries. Established in 1985 as a support group.^[1]

It facilitates sharing of experiences between NGOs and enforce their collaboration in the joint efforts against the exploitation of working children in the Asian region.

Objectives

• To promote the rights of working children within the contexts of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the ILO Conventions related to child labour;
• To raise awareness and influence public opinion regarding child labour exploitation;
• To provide a channel of communication and facilitate the sharing of information, materials, experiences and resources among people and organisations who are involved in child labour issues at various levels;
• To co-ordinate action between NGOs in the region;
• To assist and facilitate the formation of support groups for child workers at the country level;
• To seek new ways for the protection of child workers and the prevention of child labour exploitation.

Programs and activities

• Focused interventions (through sub-regional and regional Task Forces)
  • Child Domestic Workers
  • Bonded Labour in South Asia
  • Children Migrant Workers and Trafficked Children

(Mekong region, South Asia)

• Capacity Building for NGOs
  • Participatory research with children
  • Advocacy and social mobilization
  • Children's Participation
• Promotion of Children's Participation
  • National Leadership Trainings for Child Workers (at least 6 countries)
  • Regional Leadership Training of Child Workers
  • Facilitators' Training at National Levels
  • Development of Manuals for use in Promoting Children's Participation
• Research, Documentation, and Information Dissemination
  • CWA Newsletter - NGO and children's perspectives and experiences
  • Research - children and education, children in agriculture, child labour policies, girl labourers
  • Reports on Child Labour
• Advocacy and Lobbying
  • Participation in regional and international advocacy actions for children
  • Regional workshops to discuss international instruments and their use for local campaigns and lobby
  • Building of working relationships with regional and international policy and program formulating bodies.

References