JTI lauded for continuous fight against child labour
THE government has commended the efforts done by Japan Tobacco International (JTI), the leading Tobacco producer internationally on launching a programme called ARISE to support Tanzanian fight against child labour in the country.
Speaking at the launching ceremony in
Morogoro on Wednesday, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office
responsible for People with Disabilities, Dr Abdallah Possi said that
the government will assist JTI to well implement the programme in the
country.
The Deputy Minister added: “I have heard
that ARISE - Achieving Reduction of Child Labour in Support of
Education was first developed in Malawi and Brazil before coming in
Tanzania, the government commended the programme and will give its
support to ensure that this programme of fighting against child labour
is achieved”.
Speaking at the sideline of the
launching ceremony, Rob Glenn, Managing Director for JTI in Tanzania,
said that their firm knows the importance of Tobacco growing communities
around our tobacco leaf purchase department; therefore they support
their development socially and economically.
Glenn also said that their main hope is
to get support from Local government, social partners, and
tobacco-growing communities on implementation of this programme here in
Tanzania.
“There are many negative impacts on the
physiological and psychological levels of children due to child labour.
Children who are drawn to child labour are basically driven because of
economic deprivation, lack of schooling and engagement of family daily
needs”, he said.
ARISE programme was first developed in
Malawi and Brazil through a unique partnership with Winrock
International (WI), an agency specializing in agricultural development,
and the International Labour Organization (ILO), with the involvement of
the local authorities.
Commenting on the partnership, Mary
Kawar, ILO Country Director in Tanzania said the programme activities
developed through ARISE focus on a number of areas, including children’s
access to higher-quality education, raising awareness of the importance
of eliminating child labour as a social necessity, and providing means
of economic empowerment for the communities with which we work.
“The ARISE programme has also been
developed to align with national, regional, and local government
policies to improve regulatory frameworks in support of improving labour
practices, specifically reducing and eliminating child labour,” she
said.
However, ARISE will operate in three
districts; Uyui, Urambo and Kaliua in Tabora region. These places have
been selected as the initial area of implementation for the ARISE
programme due to high number of our farmer’s base; the vulnerability of
areas to the issues of child labour and focus on the agriculture sector.
Hakuna maoni