Anti-child labour

Child labour is defined by the ILO as work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental development. It refers to work that is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful to children and/or interferes with their schooling.

For all organisations, whether you work directly with children it is required to have an anti-child labour policy. It should ensure that no children will be subject to child labour as a result of the work of the organisation and it's partners, suppliers and collaborators.
 

For some organisations, it may be relevant to have a child protection policy. Child protection means ensuring that no children are exposed to any form of harm, whether directly or indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally, and thus has a much wider range than child labour. It is particularly important for organizations that work directly with children. However, it is also important for organizations that do not directly engage with children to consider this issue.

Protecting children from harm also involves considering the potential consequences of the activities within your interventions. For example, if your organization runs a project aimed at making women financially independent through organic farming, this may require the women to spend extended periods in the fields. During this time, what happens to the children who are left unsupervised at home?

Therefore, it is not only important to develop a child protection policy; considerations regarding children's safety should be integrated from the very beginning of any project design.