The International Labour Organisation(ILO) has urged all workers in the country to observe the four fundamental human rights if issues pertaining to labour are to be achieved.
ILO Chief Fundamental Principals and Rights at Work Branch, Beate Andrees says the fundamental human rights include workers not being discriminated regardless of their gender, the right to organize and having a voice at a place of work.
Mrs. Andrees further said no worker should be forced to work when it is not conducive for them adding that ILO in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security is working towards eliminating child labour at community level.
She was speaking at Namaloba Primary School in Kaoma district when she met members of the ARISE Zambia project and Community Child labour Committee.
Speaking at the same event, Ministry of Labour and Social Security Commissioner, Chanda Kaziya, urged the committee in Namaloba to work with the District Child Labour Committee in ensuring that all children are protected from child labour and enrolled in school.
And the CCLM Chairperson, Pythious Miyo, stated that before the ARISE Project was introduced in the area, most children where engaged in fishing, hunting, mushroom plucking among other activities.
Mr. Miyo however, noted that most of the children are back in school after carrying out mass sensitization campaigns, while those whose parents have failed to withdraw them from child labour activities have opted to shift to other communities.
He commended ILO, Japan Tobacco International Company, Jesus Cares Ministries, and WINROCK for their support and called for more resources so that more children are captured under the project.
Earlier, Namaloba Primary School Head Teacher, Mumbula Namakando, said high poverty levels in the community have hindered the withdrawal of some children from child labour as they opt to work in order to earn a living than being in school.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Labour Commissioner, Chanda Kaziya, castigated Baux Haulage a contractor engaged by First Quantum Minerals to construct the Kasempa-Kaoma Road for allowing his employees to work without safety attire.
Baux Haulage Site Manager, Cephas Tembo who was at pains to explain, stated that he was waiting for a labour officer from Kaoma district to go on site to address them on safety matters.
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