REPORT: The European Commission’s commitment to Education & to the elimination of Child labour

The report: The European Commission’s commitment to Education & to the elimination of Child labour focuses on the current EU policy on child labour and highlights the extent to which these stated polices are reflected in the Country Strategy Papers of 5 African countries. The research reviews the draft Country Strategy Papers of Angola, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The main conclusion of the report is that education and child labour are not sufficiently addressed  in the Country Strategy Papers of the EU ACP countries.

Recommendations contained within the report include the need for inclusive strategies that:

·         include an increase in expenditures for education;

·         include child labour concerns in each activity of the EU policy, for instance within trade and regional integration programmes;

·         contribute to coherence in EU policy with regard to education and child labour. Where education is a priority sector the issue of child labour should be incorporated as a key element for the realisation of MDG2;

·         provide information on the division of labour between the donors on education and the elimination of child labour;

·         justify the selection of priority sectors and demonstrate democratic ownership.

In the roundtable debate, discussion focused on the provision of 40% of EU aid budget to general budget support and questions were raised about how it could be ensured that this aid would contribute to the elimination of child labour and the provision of full-time quality formal education. In was noted that correct indicators need to be identified to measure how the issues of child labour and education are being addressed at the policy level.

The Country Strategy Papers under review, with the exception of Tanzania, do not include any reference to child labour. As these Country Strategy Papers will be implemented through annual action plans, it is crucial that civil society and trade unions are invited to make inputs into the development of these plans. In country, civil society needs to get more involved in this policy process at the implementation level. The school is the best place to work campaign must continue to work with southern partners and look at how civil society can become more involved in these processes.. When lobbying donors, the campaign must ensure that a clear reference to an integrated strategy for the provision of education and the elimination of is included in all policies and strategies for development cooperation.

The next opportunity to lobby for  on these issues is the EU Africa Summit in Portugal in December, where the Country Strategy Papers will be signed and adopted.  

To see the elimination of child labour and the provision of full-time formal and quality education as a  condition for development, the following actions are recommended:  

·         In the delivery of aid to the developing countries indicators for the elimination of child labour should be included in the general budget support;

·         Facilitate scrutiny of the Country Strategy papers by members of parliament in developing countries as well as the European Union;

·         The Economic Partnership Agreements should mention that the elimination of child labour is a condition for development;

·         Reference to the elimination of child labour should also be addressed in HIV & AIDS and conflict-resolution policies.

·         Consultation with civil society and trade unions should be improved in policy formulation, implementation and monitoring;

·         Mechanisms for data collection should be improved