WAO Afrique

This sub-regional project (2000-2002) was initiated by Anti-Slavery International in collaboration with WAO-Afrique, and supported financially by DFID and the Community Funds.

The objective of the project was to develop a sub-regional research programme in collaboration with national NGOs working to stop abusive work and the transborder recruitment of children as domestic workers.

The project covered six countries in West and Central Africa (Bénin, Burkina Faso, Gabon, Niger, Togo, Ghana) who were identified in the course of national and sub-regional studies as sending, transit and receiving countries for victims of child trafficking.

The main activities of this project were as follows:

• Identification of NGO project partners in each of the six countries;
• Provision of office equipment to each of the project partners to facilitate communication and information exchange on a permanent and sustained basis;
• Research to collect data on child trafficking and child domestic labour in countries such as Burkina Faso, Ghana and Niger;
• A report of child trafficking and legal mechanisms being prepared in Gabon;
• Consultations to increase the existing knowledge base about child trafficking and child domestic labour in countries such as Benin and Togo;
• Seminars with different stakeholders, including former and current child domestic workers, to propose a set of acceptable norms* for the treatment of child domestic workers;
• Training sessions on research and campaigning for children’s rights NGOs;
• Seminars to disseminate the results of the national research and consultations;
• Create national and regional NGO networks to combat child trafficking and child domestic labour;
• Awareness raising campaigns and consultations in different countries to increase public awareness about the impacts and dangers of child trafficking and child labour, particularly child domestic work. At the same time, the campaigns increased the visibility of the NGO partner in their respective countries.

The impacts of the sub regional project at the national level were considerable. NGO project partners contributed to the body of knowledge about the situation of child labour and child trafficking through studies and national seminars. The partners established or improved their partnership with state institutions, international organisations and other partners in the field. Additionally, the project partners created national networks of NGOs working specifically on child trafficking and child domestic labour isues.

At the sub regional level, the project was able to establish or improve an exchange of information among the partners, country representatives of international organisations and others engaged in human rights and children’s rights.

Promoting Effective Application of Convention 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour

waoafrique — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 16:29:49 +0000

This project was supported by Anti Slavery International and implemented by WAO-Afrique in Togo and Ghana. Actions carried out under this project were articulated along two principle points: awareness raising and lobbying.

With regards to the first, a summary of Convention 182 on the worst forms of child labour and an explanation of the implications of this Convention for child domestic workers, was translated into the local languages of Togo (Ewe) and Ghana (Twe) to better reach the rural population. An awareness raising campaign was initiated with religious leaders in view of their position in the community and their potential for disseminating important information. An important outcome of the project was the production of a film on domestic child labour in 2003, entitled “Une Vie de Bonne” (A Life of a Maid). The film realistically portrays the violence perpetrated against many child domestics and will shed light on the hidden suffering of many children. It is expected to air in Togo and Ghana, as well as other countries in the region.

With regards to lobbying, a number of actions were carried out under this project. For example, in April 2000, WAO-Afrique and Plan International (Togo office), in collaboration with Anti-Slavery, organised a seminar on the elimination of the worst forms of child labour. The objective of this seminar was to deepen the knowledge base about the worst forms of child labour in the two countries and adopt a common platform for campaigning for national plans of action. The most salient impacts of the seminar felt in Togo were: draft and adoption of a national plan of action against child labour; a committee on C182 was put into place by a Ministerial order; the government authorized the ratification of the Convention on May 17; the National Assembly began an electoral process for children in each region of the country prior to the creation of a children’s parliament.

In 2002, a training seminar for NGOs was organised in Benin to build their capacity for lobbying for effective implementation of C182. In the same year, WAO-Afrique organised a campaign in four prefectures in Togo; this campaign resulted in a national alliance and the definition of a new strategy for lobbying. A number of NGOs, as well as representatives from the media and State participated in the campaign.

In April 2003, WAO-Afrique organised a workshop seminar with the theme “Lobbying for effective implementation of ILO C182”. The workshop brought together 32 participants representing employers, trade unions, the State, traditional leaders, youth workers and NGOS. The main objectives of the seminar were to make employers aware of their role in implementing C182 and to propose strategies on how the Convention can best be implemented.

Raising Awareness about and Promoting Sustained Action against the Exploitation of Child Domestic Workers

waoafrique — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 16:26:32 +0000

This international project was coordinated by the Anti-Slavery International office in London in collaboration with partners in Asia, Africa and the Latin America and Caribbean region; WAO-Afrique being the coordinating partner for West Africa.

One of the main outputs of the project was the publication and distribution of a practical ‘how-to’ guide to advocacy entitled “Child Domestic Workers: Finding a Voice” (2002). This handbook used a ‘tried and tested’ approach by documenting more than twenty detailed case examples, including that of WAO-Afrique. The handbook is available in English, French and Spanish and is available as a downloadable PDF on the Anti-Slavery International website (or see below). A key aspect of this project was the involvement of former and current child domestics. Consultations with these children about their lives and points of view were instrumental in ensuring the publication’s relevancy and practicality.

Less tangible, but no less important, outputs include the increased capacity of NGOs to advocate on behalf of child domestic workers. In West Africa, the original project design of an experienced partner NGO working with a less experienced organisation to build capacity for effective campaigning took shape as WAO-Afrique worked with ESAM, a local NGO in Benin.

WAO-Afrique helped ESAM to organise a campaign in seven regions in Benin, and in the suburbs of Cotonou. This campaign focused primarily on awareness raising for prevention among parents. Campaign messages were delivered through an effective combination of national television, local radio and more traditional methods such as town criers, elders and traditional priests, as well as sketches and songs. A motorised caravan traveled through the campaign areas to draw attention to the issue.

In Togo, WAO-Afrique teamed up with Enfants Jeunes Travailleurs, an association of child workers, to campaign in rural areas by performing street theatre. The short skits and plays delivered a powerful message about the dangers of sending children into domestic work and were presented by the young people themselves. Another very successful campaign in this project addressed the importance of education for young girls. Students from several schools were invited to meet and listen to Miss Togo as she spoke about education.

The project had an impact at an international level as well. Information was submitted by project partners WAO-Afrique and Visayan Forum Foundation in the Philippines, together with Anti-Slavery International, to the United Nations Working Group on Contemporary Forms of Slavery in 2002. This ensured the inclusion of child domestic labour as a prominent issue in the subsequent report of the Working Group to the UN Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights.

Action against the Exploitation of Girls in the Domestic Work Sector of Lomé

waoafrique — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 16:23:22 +0000

The project, Action Against the Exploitation of Girls in the Domestic Work Sector of Lomé, financed by ILO-IPEC, was undertaken between February 2002 and April 2003. Implementing partners were the Association des Enfants et Jeunes Travailleurs (AEJT), the Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Social Affairs, Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Justice, national and international NGOs, FUCEC-Togo (capacity building of parents) and local and regional commitees in the fight against child labour and trafficking of children.

The overall objective of this project is to contribute to the elimination of child domestic labour in Lomé. Specific goals of the projects were as follows:

• Raise awareness of the dangers of domestic work for children among 350 parents of child domestic workers, 350 employers of child domestic workers, 5 employment agencies, and 2000 children and parents in Lomé and the prefectures most susceptible to sending children away to work as domestics;
• By the end of the programme, 150 child domestic workers less than 15 years of age were to be removed from exploitive situations and placed in an appropriate education structure;
• By the end of the programme, the living and working conditions of 200 child domestic workers over 15 years of age were to be improved, notably the hours of work, health security and means of remuneration.

To achieve these objectives, diverse activities were undertaken : awareness raising through radio programmes, publications, door to door visits, and public meetings; monitoring of the work place and improvements to working conditions; removal of children in exploitive situations; support services with regards to hygiene, food, shelter, legal assistance and counselling; reintegration into a regular social context; education for children and vocational assistance for their parents.

Project results :

• 122 child domestics were removed from exploitive work situations and sheltered in the Centre de l’Espérance (117 returned to their families);
• The parents of these children were supported with micro-credit for income generation activities ;
• 50 youth and young workers were provided training on the ILO Convention 182, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and the labour code;
• Nearly 8000 parents and employers, 140 traditional leaders and other key decision makers in 7 prefectures in Togo and 6 cantons of Lomé were made aware of the negative effects of labour on a child’s development and the importance of education;
• By changing the attitude of employers, the living and working conditions for child domestics were improved (e.g. duration of work, remuneration and provision of health care) ;
• An agreement was reached between the ILO and the Togolese government.

Action against Child Trafficking in Togo

waoafrique — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 16:19:51 +0000

This project was supported by the Togo office of Plan International. It covered the Maritime, Central and Plateau regions in Togo between February 2002 and November 2003. The project placed particular emphasis on the traffic of children for domestic work.

The project employed the following strategies: humanitarian assistance; prevention through awareness raising; removal, rehabilitation and improvement of the living conditions for victims of child trafficking; and better protection of child victims through legal aid.

Some of the activities carried out under this project were as follows:

• Registration for 202 children in two districts of the Plateau region, whose births had not been registered.
• Grants for children residing at three rehabilitation shelters.
• 25 children, victims of trafficking, reintegrated with their families (most of the children were from areas near the capital or the interior of the country).
• An apprenticeship contract for 35 youth that will facilitate their professional training in vocations such as tailoring and hairdressing.
- Provision of agricultural materials and training for 20 youth that will ensure their independence.
- Creation of more than 80 micro enterprises in order to support victims of child trafficking and their families.

This project allowed WAO-Afrique to undertake concrete actions to facilitate the ‘exit’ of children entrapped by trafficking networks, or to prevent its occurrence in the first place. For example, the 202 birth registrations allow the children to begin or continue their formal education and have a legal identity, both of which have been found to be key preventative measures. Similarly, the professional training received by youth ensures their ability to support themselves and not fall prey to the traffickers.

Sub Regional Project in the Fight against Child Trafficking

waoafrique — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 16:13:05 +0000

Within the framework of a subregional counter-trafficking project supported by Save the Children Sweden and UNICEF (West and Central Africa Office), a structure to coordinate and follow-up activities undertaken by project partners in their respective countries (Benin, Burkina-Faso, Ivory Coast, Mali and Togo) was proposed. Experience showed that NGOs in the region too rarely consult one another to coordinate their activities in the region, not to mention consultation with other stakeholders, such as media, governmental and non-governmental organisations in the region, who share interests and activities in common. The lack of collaboration and coordination leads to a poor exchange of experience and information materiels. NGOs present at the project launch in Grand Bassam (Ivory Coast) in December 2001, unanimously nominated WAO-Afrique to spearhead efforts in creating a structure to coordinate and follow-up activities for the region.

The outcome is the initiative, « Mise en place d’un Bureau Régional de Suivi et de Coordination des activités de Lutte contre le Trafic des Enfants », which receives support from Save the Children Sweden. The general objective is to contribute to counter-trafficking actions in West and Central Africa through capacity building of NGOs in the sub-region, and through the conception and execution of programmes and projects in a concerted manner. Specific objectives are as follows:

• Coordinate the activities between project partners;
• Work together with other stakeholders carrying out similar projects in the region;
• Capacity building of partner NGOs;
• Promote a rights based approach.

Activities carried out under the domain of the project include :

• Organisation of a seminar workshop « Capitalisation et d’Echange d’Expérience » (November 8 – 12, 2004, Lomé) for a three year activities review of the project. The workshop-seminar was structured in two parts: the first part was devoted to project evaluation (evaluation of the network during the three years of activities, follow-up reports, presentations of each countries’ activities) ; the second part consisted of training on the concept of trafficking, employing a children’s rights based approach, et cetera.
• Production of a documentary about the trafficking in children « Lutte Contre le Trafic des Enfants en Parler et Agir » in 2003. This film is a broad reaching tool in public awareness raising efforts carried out by project partners in their respective countries.
• Capacity building of regional network members through a training of trainers children’s rights workshop (Kpalimé, Togo, October 2002). Workshops of a similar nature were then held in each project country for members of the national network; for example, a training workshop was organised for the Togolese network in Lomé in May 2003.

• Etablishment and management of a Regional Child Rights Documentation and Information Center since August 2002.
• A formal exchange of experiences between network members was initiated in order to permit members of neighbouring countries to fully comprehend each others’ activities and strategies.
• Publication and distribution of a quarterly newsletter, DZITRI, to the network and other partners in Africa, Europe, Asia and Canada.
• Production and distribution of creative awareness raising materials such as umbrellas and note pads.

Launching the Code of Conduct

waoafrique — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 15:39:44 +0000

This project is an extension, at a national level, of the Sub-Regional Project on Eradicating Child Domestic Work and Child Trafficking in West and Central Africa (2000-2002) initiated by Anti Slavery International.

One of the actions of the subregional project was to organise national seminars with different stakeholders, including former and current child domestic workers, to propose a set of acceptable norms for the treatment of child domestic workers (the use of the word norms is used here with much caution as it carries a legal implication which is beyond the domain of NGOs; the set of proposed norms are best considered as a campaign tool to change behaviours and attitudes towards how child domestic workers are treated). The outcome of these seminars was the preparation of a “Code of Conduct” which articulates 5 main points: the age; working conditions; terms of employment and the responsibilities of the employers’ family; terms of employment and responsibilities of the child domestic’s parents; and education and vocational training of the child.

WAO-Afrique is the first sub-regional project partner to launch the Code of the Conduct at a national level. The event took place in the capital city, Lome, on 30th September 2004. The date was chosen as it marked the 15th anniversary of the World Congress on Children. Present at the launch were national and international media (print, radio and press); national and international NGOs; UN agencies; “Freedom Kick” and “Happy Group”, two groups of women who were once employers of child domestics but now actively speak out against the practice; traditional and religious leaders in the community; and a group of former and current child domestic workers.

The event was opened with a presentation by a representative of child domestic workers in Togo. Happy, a 15 year-old currently working as a domestic worker in Lome, was chosen by her peers to speak on their behalf at the launch. Happy spoke about the long and hard working hours of a domestic, as well as frequent abuse and intimidation from employers. With great conviction, she spoke about children’s right to an education in stating that “children must be in school; if we are not educated, we cannot work well in the future” (translated from Ewe).

The Director of WAO-Afrique then summarised the history and content of the Code of Conduct and called on the various stakeholders present at the event to take an active role in implementing the Code. In particular, he called on traditional leaders and religious leaders to disseminate the Code in their communities.

In addition to WAO-Afrique, country representatives of UNICEF, ILO-IPEC, Plan International and the African Union Commissioner on the Rights of the Child were invited to speak on the occasion of the launch of the Code. In the days following the launch, the event and the implications of having a Code of Conduct for the treatment of child domestic workers was well covered in the media. The response to the Code by those in attendance was supportive and encouraging in the ongoing efforts to provide immediate protection to child domestic workers.

The launch in the capital was followed by a series of similar events in three other regions of Togo. With the cooperation of the Governors of Kara Region, Central Region and Plateau Region, the Code of Conduct was launched on the 24th , 25th , 26th of November, 2004 respectively.

Project to Reactivate Action Against Child Trafficking in Togo

waoafrique — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 15:36:13 +0000

Despite the many actions undertaken by organisations, both national and international, trafficking of children remains a problem in Togo. Upon analysis, WAO-Afrique, with the support of Plan Togo, concluded in that a new strategic approach was necessary in order to better address this persistent and increasingly prevalent phenomenon in the country.

The principle objectives of this one year project (2004) are to:

(i) collect all existing data on child trafficking in Togo and the West African sub-region, and to fill any gaps through field research;
(ii) produce a docudrama as a new awareness raising tool for use in the region;
(iii) improve the current living conditions for children removed from exploitative situations:

Specific activities are as follows:

• Conduct a study on the impact of trafficking on child victims and their villages. This study is divided into three distinct parts. The first will create a database of existing research and documentation on child trafficking. The second will be conducted in the field and aims to examine the factors which lead to trafficking; the vulnerability of children and parents; and the psychosocial impact of trafficking, not only on the child but also the family and community. The third part will establish a qualitative review of existing social services, and a directory of community based organisations that are engaged in actions to stop child trafficking.

• Produce a docudrama, « Le Prix du Velo » (The Price of a Bicycle), as a new awareness raising tool. This film attempts to explain the nature of child trafficking and the misery suffered by the child victims and their families.

• Make repairs to WAO’s transit and rehabilitation centre in order to create a safe and pleasant environment for the children who are sheltered there.