Minister of Labour and Social Security Pearnel Charles Jr has issued a call to the private sector and corporations operating in Jamaica to ensure that their supply chains are free from child labour.

He also urged the adoption of transparent, responsible business practices consistent with international labour standards.

The minister was responding to the outcomes of the Sixth Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour held in Marrakesh, Morocco, from February 11 to 13.

The three-day event, hosted by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Government of Morocco, marked a pivotal moment in the global fight against child labour, with member states collectively endorsing the Marrakesh Global Framework of Action.

It sets out concrete, time-bound strategies to accelerate progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 8.7, which commits world leaders to take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour.

The Marrakesh Framework outlines priority actions, including universal ratification of the ILO Convention No. 138 on Minimum Age and observance of ILO Convention No. 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour; ensuring free education up to the minimum age for work, alongside programmes for lifelong learning; expanding social protection for vulnerable families; promoting decent work opportunities for all adults; and implementing targeted strategies to address informality in labour markets.

Minister Charles Jr said that the conference underscored the fundamental question of how societies adjust daily lives and the institutional practices to better protect children and uphold their right to be free from exploitation.   

“Jamaica stands resolute in its answer through strengthened laws, targeted enforcement, social protection, regional cooperation, and shared accountability across governments, employers, workers, and civil society,” he said.

Chief Technical Director in the Ministry Gillian Corrodus, who led Jamaica’s delegation to the Marrakesh Conference, reaffirmed Jamaica’s unwavering commitment to mitigating child labour in all its forms.

“Jamaica has formally accepted the Marrakesh Global Framework of Action and will advance its provisions through sustained national and regional initiatives,” Corrodus said.

The Marrakesh Conference was the final global gathering ahead of the 2030 assessment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In solidarity with global partners, Jamaica joined the call to “raise the Red Card” against child labour and pledged to take affirmative, coordinated action to protect children from exploitation in every sphere of life.

The country will continue to strengthen collaboration under the Regional Initiative Latin America and the Caribbean Free of Child Labour and deepen bilateral cooperation with partners such as Brazil, which has supported Jamaica’s child labour programmes since 2018. The partnership with Brazil has facilitated training for labour inspectors, sensitisation for the National Steering Committee on Child Labour, and capacity-building across key institutions.

Jamaica’s community engagement model, patterned on the Brazilian approach, has benefited from evidence-based methodologies such as the ILO’s Child Labour Risk Identification model (CLRISK), which guided targeted interventions in communities like Troy, Trelawny.                

Corrodus said that further technical support from Brazil is anticipated, to include sensitisation on new evidence-based models that leverage artificial intelligence to analyse inspection data and strengthen enforcement strategies.

Initial discussions have also commenced with Belize to facilitate the exchange of experiences and best practices within the Caribbean sub-region.

At the national level, the ministry will continue to deepen community engagement through Operation Mitigate, working alongside child-protection agencies and stakeholders to combat child labour at the grassroots level.

Social protection measures will be reinforced through the Programme of Advancement through Health and Education (PATH), which provides conditional cash transfers to vulnerable families, thereby reducing the economic pressures that often drive child labour.

Efforts will also intensify to support micro and small enterprises in transitioning to formality, while advancing the completion and implementation of Jamaica’s Decent Work Country Programme.