According to data from the National Survey on Child Labor (ENTB), more than one million children aged 05 to 17 (41.1%) are economically active in Burkina Faso. In addition, there are around 250,000 child workers in the cotton fields.
Today, June 12, is World Day Against Child Labor. This year’s theme is “Universal social protection to end child labor”. To commemorate this day, OCADES/Dédougou organized a popular cross-country race in the town of Dédougou on May 28, to call on the authorities to remove children from the cotton fields. The event brought together a wide range of participants, including children, education stakeholders from the Boucle du Mouhoun region and Solidar Suisse Burkina.
At the end of the popular Cross, the children handed over a message of advocacy to the Governor of the region, Mr. Baho Pierre BASSINGA, for the adoption of appropriate measures to combat child labor in the cotton fields. Delighted by the initiative, the Governor assured the audience that the message would be passed on to the appropriate authorities. He also congratulated the initiators of the cross-country race and invited the parents and pupils to devote themselves to their studies, to ensure the succession of governance for the development of the country.
As a reminder, this cross is part of the project “Promoting the abandonment of hazardous child labor in cotton fields in Burkina Faso (PACTEC III)”, financed by Solidar Suisse and implemented by OCADES/Dédougou. This year, the commemoration of the day was postponed to May 28, 2022, due to a change in the school calendar, which closed on May 31, 2022.
Find out more about Solidar Suisse’s actions to combat child labour in the cotton fields: https: //bit.ly/3mCDmP5
