Institutions and shops that employ kids of less 16 to be closed

Ministry of Labour and Social Security adopted a proposal of the National Committee for the Prevention of Child Labor, that decides to shut down and punish private institutions and shops that employ children less 16, after a field investigation by the Committee showed a rise of child labor in the private sector and entrepreneurship, trade and institutions of construction and retrieval of plastic materials.

Committee that work under the tutelage of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, will send sudden and secret inspection teams to private institutions, shops, markets, ports and construction workshops in order to protect children from exploitation.

In this framework, both the ministries of labor and vocational training prepare a program for the integration of children who are lifted out of the labor market in the private training programs, to enable them to master a craft and got a professional certificate that enables them to enter the world of work in the specified age.

Minister of Labor and Social Security, Mohamed Ghazi, admitted the existence of child labor in Algeria with low rates , however, he expressed great fear from exploitation of kids in entrepreneurship and some institutions that operate away from control.

“This requires us to do additional and depth steps to rescue children from labor and all kinds of exploitation, and the state should ensure professional training for children who are suffering from economic problems that may drive them to work, especially in villages, countryside and isolated areas.”

 “National Committee for the Prevention from Child Labor is doing a great job and efforts. I encourage its initiative to impose control on private enterprises and shops to protect children from exploitation.”

According to the latest report of the National Commission for Health Promotion and Research Development “Foram”, 500,000 kids at least are exploited in labor, as Professor Khiati Moustafa asserted that figures and data from the Ministry of Labor are far from reality and is “covering the sun with sieve”, stressing that the 200.000 kids less than 16 years are annually a victim of dropouts and are exploited in labor, while the phenomenon of poverty that is experienced by many Algerian families forced them to employ their children in various shops and institutions, as family conflicts that produce divorce and kids’ run lead to the prevalence of employment in Algeria.