By Yoon Sat - Aug 29, 2024
The Military Council's Legal Work Committee on Eradication of Child Labor, Myanmar has said that it will work with a long-term plan to eliminate child labor.
Labor rights activists have criticized that various ministries and subordinate departments controlled by the SAC can only work cosmetic as they are not given the right to act independently, and the work to eliminate child labor is also just superficial.
According to labor observers, child workers under 18 in factories are being violated. There are many child laborers in the workplaces in various regions and states of Myanmar that are facing a general crisis since the military coup.
These child workers are also having their rights violated, are working on the same tasks as adult workers, and they are also suffering from wage exploitation. In addition, it is seen that they are facing workplace incidents that can cause their limbs due to the lack of adequate preparation for safety.
“Their works are just cosmetics. There is a significant amount of child workers in the factory. They don’t get health care provision and full wages. Some factories assign the child workers the same tasks with the adults. And they are hired only as day laborers. They can be dismissed any time and they don’t get any leave benefits and basic entitlements. The children will not complaint as they are struggling for their livelihood during the crisis and they don’t want to lose the job,” said a female local labor activist.
The Military Council's Legal Work Committee on Eradication of Child Labor in Myanmar stated that the elimination of child labor is a major challenge for the country and a long-term project. It is said that they are working according to the relevant sector and conducting awareness campaigns regarding the elimination of child labor as the second five-year work plan (2024-2028) plan.
But in reality, the employment of underage children, exploitation and assigning dangerous jobs in the factories is on the rise.
“Child workers are exploited and not getting proper workplace conditions due to the weakness of the law. The law should provide a proper workplace for child workers between 14 – 16 and 16 – 18 years old. For now, they have to work like an adult but get paid like an underage. Child labour can’t be restricted. It is caused by the crisis of the basic class. The child workers will be dismissed and abused their rights if a workplace is imposed of hiring child workers. The child workers are filling the financial requirements of the family,” said a person.
There is an increase in the number of children working for family’s income due to economic hardship and high commodity prices after the coup d'état and employers are also taking advantage of this.
“Most factories hired day laborers and they are paid by tap system or fabric system. This is because to pay them only by their productivity. Its not 4,800 kyats or 5,800 kyats a day. They don’t get paid if they can’t deliver. And they are losing healthcare provision and leave benefits as they are not hired legally,” said a female local labor activist.
It is reported that there are also cases of failure of the employer to take responsibility for child laborers who injured in an accident in the workplace.
Aung Pyae Sone, who is working as a general worker in a plastic pellets factory in Ward 8, Post Office bus stop (in front of Meteorological Office) Kabaraye Road injured in the workplace around 10:00 p.m. and had to splinted steel plates into their index finger, middle finger and ring finger of the right hand.
After that, the family had to request help for the medical expenses and to take effective action on the employer who didn’t take responsibility and accountability.
