Iraq announces plan to tackle child labour

Iraq’s ministry of Labour has announced a new plan to tackle child labour, as human rights concerns are on the rise, with experts saying the labour issue is caused by increasing poverty and children leaving school, The Arab Weekly reported on February 5th.

Iraq’s Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs spokesman Najm al-Aqabi, said: “The ministry has formed ten committees to monitor and combat child labour, following the registration of 600 cases in Baghdad last year. The law penalises employers who hire children under the age of 15.”

The Strategic Centre for Human Rights in Iraq indicate that more than 200 million children aged six to 17 are involved in labour, on a global scale.

The Arab Weekly