Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Welfare, Mr. Vesel Makolli, chaired today the meeting of the Kosovo Committee for the Prevention and Elimination of Child Labor.
Despite the continued institutional efforts, the involvement of children in serious work remains a concern for the institutions. On this occasion, Deputy Minister Makolli said that within the measures for the protection of this category, MLSW has signed an understanding agreement with all the mayors of Kosovo, “with the purpose of functionalizing mechanisms at local level for prevention and elimination of child labor as the only mechanism that can contribute to the coordination of inter-institutional activities for the protection and reintegration of children involved in serious and dangerous work “.
Mr. Makolli added that the Action Plan for the Kosovo Committee for the Prevention and Elimination of Serious Child Affairs has been prepared, as well as cooperation agreements with institutional partners, MEST, law and order institutions, business associations, Social Economic Council, and various NGOs that handle and advocate the protection of children from serious and dangerous jobs.
Deputy Minister Mr. Makolli underlined that Kosovo is creating the conditions for protecting children from serious jobs by completing the legal framework for addressing child labor, with the Law on Child Protection, which is in the process and is expected to be adopted soon in the Assembly.
To address the issue of heavy and dangerous jobs for children, the Government of Kosovo has given priority to the Strategy and Action Plan for Children’s Rights 2019-2021.