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Cablegate: Final Report: Democracy Small Grant for The

Published: Sun 11 Jan 2004 01:12 PM
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SANAA 000100
SIPDIS
FOR NEA/PPD: DMACINNES AND JDAVIES, NEA/RA:BKEARY,
NEA/ARP: MMILLER, NEA/PPD: TROBERTS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KDEM KPAO AFIN KWMN PHUM YM HUMAN RIGHTS
SUBJECT: FINAL REPORT: DEMOCRACY SMALL GRANT FOR THE
COMBATING CHILD WORK ASSOCIATION
REF: A) STATE 187026 B) SANAA 5295
1. The Combating Child Work Association has concluded
its training project titled "Awareness-Raising Program
Among the Working Children's Community". The awareness
sessions were conducted from 20 August until 22 December
03.
2. PAO and PAS attended the opening ceremony of the
project in Aden city. PAO's remark focused on the NGO's
important work to educate the society of child labor
risks to the children and the society as whole. PAO
explained that children get pulled out of schools to work
in low-wage jobs and at the same time are exposed to
various kinds of harassments and physical abuse. Above
all these children loose the opportunity of a bright
future when they have no education.
3. PAS traveled to Aden to follow up the project's
activities and progress. PAS attended three awareness
sessions in poverty stricken communities. The first
session was the meeting of the speakers and specialists
to discuss the program's plan, methodology and progress.
Participants in this session included the head of Aden
University who offered his support for the project.
4. PAS attended the second activity of the program where
the actual awareness session was conducted at a very poor
populated targeted area within Aden city where child
labor is common. The speakers in the session addressed
the current situation of working children and the risk
they are exposed to during their work. The speakers
encouraged parents to keep their children in schools for
a better future and better life. Parents talked about
difficulties they face and reasons why they pull their
children out of school and force them to work. One of the
main reasons for child labor is poverty.
5. From the audience, a mother of about 50 years stood
up to speak about her commitment to educate her children
and the daily financial struggle she went through to
provide food for her children in order to keep them in
school and educate them for the future.
6. The session was able to engage parents in thinking
about their children's future, but the reality of the
poverty and the need for food and shelter remain one of
the biggest hindering factors for changing the current
situation of child labor.
7. PAS also attended a third awareness session where
most of the audiences were mothers who came to the
session with many questions and eager desire for help. In
this session, it was obvious to the awareness committee
that the magnitude of the problem is much larger than the
sincere, yet small efforts of the project. The weak
education system, the practice of some damaging
traditional beliefs, and the stagnant economical
situation are all factors in the making of this problem.
8. One of the main questions that resulted from this
project is how effective the awareness sessions were?
Were there measurable results? What are they?
9. The awareness committee realizes that the awareness
sessions provided this poor society a platform to be
heard, to offer them guidance and possible help. However,
they also realize that awareness sessions are not enough
to make a difference and that their future project must
have measurable results and focused goals.
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