Not every work that children do is considered exploitation. There are activities in which families can involve their children in order to develop the necessary capacities for an independent life. Exploitation is when the activity exceeds the child’s capabilities, affects their studies or endangers their health. The Republic of Moldova, like other countries, continues to face child labor. Tens of thousands of children are left in the care of relatives while their parents are abroad, and the situation is aggravated by persistent poverty, Traian Țurcanu, child protection specialist at UNICEF Moldova, stated at the presentation of a report on child labor. The report stresses the need to amend the national regulatory framework to regulate child labor in the informal sector, establishing safety and health standards, ensuring access to education and social services, and punishing violations of the law, IPN reports.
It is estimated that over 30,000 children are left in the care of grandparents or other relatives because one or both of the parents are abroad. Likewise, there are problems related to poverty, which forces many children to earn their living or help their families overcome poverty. “We, UNICEF, are trying to provide the necessary support to the authorities, to civil society so as to fight this scourge through various measures, such as improving the legislative framework, providing training, information campaigns,” said Traian Țurcanu, noting that exploitation can only be combated if there is a multisectoral approach.
Ombudsman for the Rights of the Child Vasile Coroi, said that the exploitation of the child through labor is a serious violation of the rights of the child, first of all to health, development, protection against any form of violence. Taking into account that the rights of the child are interdependent, practically the impairment of this right also affects other rights provided by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. “We chose in 2023 to monitor how children’s rights are respected in terms of labor exploitation. Of course, it doesn’t go only to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. We surely analyzed the two conventions of the International Labor Organization and how they are reflected in the normative framework and also how they are implemented in the Republic of Moldova,” stated the ombudsman.
Neither the Law on the Rights of the Child nor the Labor Code regulate children’s work in the informal sector of. “We have a legal age at which children can be employed based on an individual employment contract. We have control mechanisms from the State Labor Inspectorate, but when we talk about the informal sector, we experience difficulties because it is not even regulated,” said lawyer and expert Arina Țurcan-Donțu, underlining the need to regulate this segment and ensure safety and health.
The thematic report “Exploitation of children through labor” in the Republic of Moldova was compiled by the Ombudsman for the Rights of the Child, with the financial support of UNICEF Moldova.
