ACTIVITIES ORGANISED IN ALBANIA ON THE OCCASION OF WDACL 2010

It is the third year that Albanian education trade unions organise special activities on the occasion of WDACL.
The main activities of this year were dedicated to the Roadmap for Achieving the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour by 2016, adopted at The Hague Global Child Labour Conference, on 11 May 2010.

Two important workshops were organised by Trade Union Federation of Education and Science of Albania, TUFESA, in collaboration with ILO-IPEC Office in Tirana, in the framework of a ILO-IPEC AP.

The first workshop was organised on the 3rd of June, with participation of 20 trade union leaders from both education trade unions, TUFESA and ITUAE, as well as leaders from other branch trade unions, especially from light industry, construction, agriculture, health care, commerce etc, from both Albanian confederations, KSSH and BSPSH.
After a short opening speech by the chairman of TUFESA, Xhafer Dobrushi, the ILO-IPEC National Coordinator in Tirana, Etleva Vertopi, made a presentation on the Global Child Labour Conference, held in The Hague, on 10 and 11 of May 2010, being focused especially on the main conclusions from the ILO- Report.

Following, the General Secretary of TUFESA, Stavri Liko, Albanian participant in the Hague Conference, made a presentation on the Roadmap adopted at the Hague Conference, being focused on the main objectives to be achieved by trade unions, in collaboration with governmental institutions, social partners and other stakeholders.

The Chairman of ITUAE, Bajram Kruja, commented about the role of Albanian education trade unions in child labour prevention and elimination, working in close collaboration with Dutch trade unions, FNV Mondiaal and AOb, as well as with ILO-IPEC Office in Tirana.
Wide discussions with participation of education trade unions representatives, as well as the main leaders from other branch trade unions; as agriculture, health care, construction, textile, shoes and light industries, were focused on actual situation regarding child labour in respective sectors, work done, results achieved and the actions to be undertaken, aiming to realise the objective of elimination of worst forms of child labour in Albania, by 2016.

A Working groups session was also organised according to a special working program. The discussions were focused on three topics, based on the Roadmap: priorities for social partners, especially for trade unions; proposals from trade union representatives for governmental institutions priorities and proposals from trade union representatives for civil society associations’ priorities.
After reporting and discussions about the conclusions from each working group, e special working group was set up, aiming to elaborate the conclusions and prepare the Draft Proposals.

The second workshop, organised on the 9th of June, with the same participants as in the first one, was focused on the Draft Proposals. On behalf of the working group, Mr. Xhafer Dobrushi commented on the main conclusions and invited the participants to discuss and comment about the proposals.

After a constructive debate, all participants agreed and adopted the following Proposals to be included in the Albanian Roadmap to eliminate the worst forms of child labour by 2016:

Priorities for the trade unions:

1. Continuation of the commitment of Albanian education and other branch trade unions, especially from light industry, construction, agriculture, health care etc, to child labour prevention and elimination, also based on the experience gained and results achieved.
2. Extension of the commitment for child labour free zones, using the experience of pilot school project in Levani, in some other schools, especially in districts like Tirana, Elbasani, Korca, etc, where TUFESA and ITUAE are working since years ago.
3. Using collective agreements of first and second levels, including in their provisions the obligations of employers and trade unions to deal with child labour prevention and elimination, in close collaboration between them.
4. Joining forces among trade unions, teachers, educational directorates, pupils and parents aiming to avoid school drop out. Using more publications, as posters leaflets, brochures, special editions of the Magazine “Tribuna Sindikale’ and so on, aiming to sensitise the opinion and promote good practices in child labour prevention and elimination.
5. Continuation of teachers trainings regarding children’s rights and child labour prevention and elimination. Motivation of teachers who are concretely committed and have good results in child labour prevention and elimination.
6. Improving the collaboration with international organisations and homologue trade unions, ILO-IPEC and so on, aiming more assistance and support in their actions against child labour.

Proposals from trade union representatives about the priorities for governmental institutions and local authorities:

1. Effective functioning of the coalition established by the Joint Agreement, signed on 25 April 2008, among education and other branch trade unions, ILO-IPEC, employers representatives, State Labour Inspectorate, National Employment Service etc, organising follow up activities, aiming to eliminate worst forms of child labour in Albania, by 2016.
2. Organisation of a round table with participation of representatives of employers’ organisations, aiming to coordinate the actions, to avoid informal economy, to implement labour legislation and to eliminate child labour.
3. Promoting good experiences, especially regarding the assistance of families in need, through collaboration with local government authorities, providing job opportunities, one meal for children in the school or financial support for pupils to buy textbooks, notebooks and so on.
4. Reviewing and updating the list of hazardous work prohibited for children, improving the existing legislation and taking all the necessary measures to increase the role of State Labour Inspectorate and other monitoring state organs for implementation of the law on compulsory education.

Proposals from trade union representatives about the priorities for civil society organisations:

1. Collaborating and organising joint activities, especially regarding identification of the situation about child labour in Albania, implementing projects and appealing to the governmental institutions to implement education policies for all children.
2. Commitment in sensitising activities regarding children’s rights and ensuring all services for children in need, protecting them by child labour and especially by worst forms of child labour.
3. Giving their contribution in order that children and their parents are involved effectively in policy making.
4. Wide collaboration, especially with Roma Associations, aiming the enrolment and keeping in school all Roma Children, withdrawing them by working and integrating in the school.

HIGH LEVEL MEETING IN SHERATON HOTEL

A high level meeting was organised, at Sheraton Hotel, on the 11th of June 2010, by ILO-IPEC Office in Tirana, in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Equal Chances and the education trade unions, TUFESA and ITUAE, on the occasion of WDACL.

In the wide presence of the representatives from some ministries and the main prefectures, as well as education and some other branches trade unions and many civil society arganisations, the Meeting was opened by the National Coordinator of the ILO-IPEC in Albania, Mrs. Etleva Vertopi. She pointed out the commitment of ILO-IPEC to organise the activities of WDACL in Albania, which this year had a special Slogan: “Go for the Goal: End Child Labour” and it was linked to the Roadmap adopted at the Global Conference on Child Labour, held in The Hague, on 10 and 11 May 2010, where were indentified the main obligations for the governmental institutions, social partners and civil society associations to eliminate the worst forms of child labour by 2016.

Following, the Minister of Labour, Social Affairs and Equal Chances, Mr. Spiro Ksera, spoke on the commitments of the Albanian Government and the Ministry to eliminate child labour, being focused especially to the improvement of legislation, assistance for families in need, enforcement of the control organs and measures, especially regarding the reduction of the informal economy, implementation of the law on compulsory education and so on.

On behalf of both education trade unions, the chairman of TUFESA, Mr. Xhafer Dobrushi spoke on the commitment of these trade unions to prevent and eliminate child labour, on their role in promoting the engagement of other branch trade unions in these activities and on the establishment of a wide coalition with participation of other stakeholders, as well as on the contribution and role of social partners in the framework of the preparation and implementation of Albanian Roadmap for the elimination of the worst forms of child labour in Albania by 2016.

After Mrs. Etleva Vertopi launched the WDACL 2010 Slogan: “Go for the Goal: End Child Labour”, the Director of Directorate for the Policies of Equal Chances in the Ministry, Mrs. Alma Marku, presented the priorities of the Albanian Roadmap.
A lot of proposals and suggestions made during the discussions after that, will be taken into consideration during the final elaboration of the Roadmap.