THE WORLD ORGANIZATION OF THE MOVEMENT (WOSM) COMBATS CHILD LABOUR

One hundred and sixty-eight million girls and boys – or one movement: governments, workers’ and employers’ organi- in ten children – worldwide are engaged in child labour. zations, international organizations, enterprises and civil Eliminating this scourge is a human rights imperative society – including youth organizations such as the Scout and an urgent social and economic necessity. This goal Movement. requires unified efforts from all actors in the worldwide

THE RESPONSE FACTS AND FIGURES Partners: Children and youth bring essential energy, to a large number of Scouts at the grass- The World Organi- ideas and action to the worldwide move- roots level – including training on SCREAM zation of the Scout ment against child labour. When armed with and Scout-led activities – to raise awareness Movement (WOSM) awareness and knowledge of social injustice, of children’s rights, and child labour in par- Beneficiary country: young people are a driving force for change. ticular. Global The World Organization of the Scout Move- Timeframe: ment (WOSM) and the ILO joined forces in Beyond advocacy, has demon- Annual projects from: 2004, united by a shared vision of pursuing strated its potential to reach out to children 2004 – Present social justice, peace, and the empowerment in or at risk of child labour and to change of young people as an agent for sustainable their lives. Under this partnership, National Budget: In-kind development. In 2012 a new Memorandum Scout Organizations have extended Scouting of Understanding extended the partnership to children in difficult circumstances, and for another five years. Scout outreach projects have provided children in child labour with access to social The partnership connects the 40 million- care, recreational opportunities and infor- “Scouting provides life-changing oppor- strong Scout Movement with the ILO’s mal education as a bridge to mainstream tunities for children International Programme on the Elimination schooling. living and working on of Child Labour (IPEC), with a particular the streets through focus on its Supporting Children’s Rights The WOSM and the ILO have also been work- large initiatives such through Education, the Arts and the Media ing together to promote the annual World as our Ticket To programme (SCREAM). SCREAM is an edu- Day Against Child Labour (WDACL) (12 Life project in the cation and social mobilization initiative that June) for several years, rallying Scout orga- Asia-Pacific, and in empowers children and youth by equipping nizations worldwide in support of the cause Africa (among others). them with knowledge and skills to participate and encouraging jointly planned activities. Our partnership with actively in the campaign against child labour In addition, the ILO’s participation in Scout ILO/IPEC has helped and for social change. and international conferences has us to offer Child raised interest in – and awareness of – the Rights Education The partnership has resulted in joint action in objectives of the partnership and provided an using our non-formal many areas. In particular, the WOSM and the impetus for further collaboration. methods to Scouts all over the world.” ILO have taken the SCREAM education pack Scott A. Teare, Secretary General of the WOSM

RIGHTS AT WORK 11 RESULTS

Over the course of the partnership, the The project (in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, enthusiastic participation of youth in jointly Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines and planned ILO-Scout activities and events has Sri Lanka) focuses on child rights education contributed hugely to efforts to combat child and integrates street children into society, labour. through Scouting. Scout units have been established in areas where street children Scouts have been trained in SCREAM in live; thousands of Scouts have joined the Colombia, Egypt and the Democratic Repub- programme; and inspiring stories of how lic of Congo – to name but a few countries children’s lives have been transformed are – and have led or participated in joint activi- emerging; ties on and around the WDACL, including in Turkey, Zambia and Senegal. Egypt: For several years, Scouts in Alexan- “As the partnership enters this third dria have been running a Scout unit in the phase, we look Scouts across the world have also reached busy industrial areas of the city for children forward to steering out to children in or at risk of child labour and youth working in factories. Following our joint work through Scout projects, for example: their engagement with Scouting, children’s towards an even more behaviour has changed and a number of strongly rights-based Kenya: 1,200 Scouts led an extension pro- them have returned to school. The ILO part- approach, concen- gramme, which reached out to street children nered with Scouts to host a world seminar in trating on engaging Scouts, particularly in or children living in difficult circumstances Egypt (2005) to showcase this success and the Global South, in and taught them life skills and vocational to inspire Scouts all over the world to initiate activities which reach skills. A clinic was established, providing similar projects. out to children in free services to members of the programme or at risk of child and to residents of a neighbouring informal Looking forward, the WOSM and the ILO will labour.” housing settlement with a population of 1.1 strive continuously to strengthen the role Guy Ryder, million; of young people as advocates against child ILO Director-General labour, and to engage Scouts even more in The Asia-Pacific region: Inspired by the activities that reach out to children in or at Scout extension programme in Kenya, “Ticket risk of child labour. To Life” is a flagship project implemented by the WOSM Asia-Pacific Regional Office.

BENEFITS OF PARTNERING Partnering connects over 40 million Scouts in 200 countries and territories throughout the world with the ILO. This powerful engagement helps Scouts take a more active role in the worldwide movement against child labour. In particular, the ILO encourages the use of the educational tool SCREAM in the Scout educational programme. The WOSM and its members are invited to participate locally, regionally and globally in Partnerships and Field Support Department relevant ILO/IPEC activities. Equally, ILO/IPEC takes part in large Scout gatherings such as (PARDEV) World Scout Jamborees. International Labour Organization The ILO recognizes that Scouting is globally advocating and supporting children’s rights and 4, Route des Morillons that it is working in a strategic partnership with the ILO/IPEC for the progressive elimination CH-1211 Geneva 22 of child labour. Switzerland The ILO and the World Scout Bureau facilitate contact between ILO/IPEC field offices, Tel. +41 22 799 7309 Fax +41 22 799 6668 national Scout organizations and local Scouting groups, thus encouraging joint action in E-mail: [email protected] the field. www.ilo.org/ppp