The Federal Government has begun the process of validating the National Policy on Child/Forced Labour, and the National Action Plan (NAP) on the Elimination of Child/Forced Labour in Nigeria (2021 – 2025), as part of government’s commitment to achieving Target 8.7 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
Dr Yerima Peter Tarfa, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, at the flagging off of the process in Abuja, stated that the Government of Nigeria had demonstrated the political will to ensure the achievement of Target 8.7 of the SDG, and “has shown enough readiness to address the challenges of the vulnerable groups, including eradicating Child Labour.”
Tarfa noted that as a pathfinder country with commitment to take accelerated actions on combating Child Labour, Nigeria’s “commitment has translated into several actions including the recent Action Pledge made during the global Launch of 2021 International Year for Elimination of Child Labour (IYECL), as well as the formal launch of IYECL billed to hold on April 15, 2021.”
Tarfa recalled that the first National Policy on Child Labour and the National Action Plan for the Elimination of Child Labour in Nigeria was developed in 2013 with a five-year implementation period (2013 – 2017).