With more than 6% of the nation’s children being exposed to child labour, Trinidad and Tobago is moving to produce and implement a stringent child labour policy.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour, Natalie Willis, said data presented in the 2022 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey is very clear that Trinidad and Tobago still has a lot of work to do to eliminate child labour.
The survey was conducted by the local Central Statistical Office, in conjunction with UNICEF.
“According to the 2022 survey 6.4% of our children, ages 5 to 17, were exposed to child labour or hazardous work. The youngest children, ages 5 to 11, record the highest prevalence. Adolescents, particularly boys, remain at significant risk of hazardous work such as heavy loads, extreme temperatures, dust, fumes, and dangerous tools.”
Ms. Willis highlighted specific sectors where children are most vulnerable to being exposed to child labour.
“Children from low-income households, children with functional difficulties, and migrant children face heightened vulnerability. Street vending and informal sector activities continue to expose children to harm. These statistics are not just numbers. They represent real children whose futures are being compromised.”
PS Willis was addressing the opening ceremony of the National Multipartite Stakeholder Consultation to finalise the Child Labour Policy for Trinidad and Tobago.
“The National Child Labour Policy is not simply a document. It is a blueprint for protecting the next generation as it aims to ensure that every child remains in school and out of hazardous work, families receive the support they need to keep their children safe, employers operate responsibly, and national systems from labour inspection to child protection respond swiftly and effectively to violations.”