In September, the US Bureau on International Labour Affairs listed Belize as a country that made minimal advancement in eliminating child labour. And one of the major areas where this happens is the sugar cane industry. The report noted that, quote "Children in Belize perform dangerous tasks in agriculture."
And so, today a consultation was held with government and non-government stakeholders to talk about the issue. The aim of the consultation was to develop a hazardous work list along with a light work list for the sugar cane industry. Diana Shaw of the Child Development foundation told us more.
Diana Shaw, Child Development Foundation
"There aren't actual statistics. There was a child activity survey that was done in 2013 with SIB Statistical Institute of Belize and they did indicate vulnerability for several industries including the sugar industry for child labor situations. The government is also working on child labor situations and to improve poverty and other conditions in northern Belize this project is a part of a larger project that's doing that the accompanying measures for sugar program."
"The members here today are going to actually define a proposed list of work that is not acceptable for children. That is the hazardous work list for the sugar cane industry as well as another list for work that is acceptable which will be the light work list and then there the other consultations with the actual sugar cane farmers and they produce organization for their contribution to the list."
At the end of the project, the list will go back to the government so that they can establish a universal list of child labor rules to be used with other industries in agriculture.
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