VZCZCXRO6201
OO RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #1345/01 1960842
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 140842Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9514
INFO RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5198
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 2753
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 1114
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 1992
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2209
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 2830
RUEHPT/AMCONSUL PERTH 0946
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 2796
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 001345
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, G/TIP, EAP/RSP, DRL
(MMITTELHAUSER)
NSC FOR EPHU
DEPT OF LABOR FOR BSASSER, SHELLER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV ELAB ID
SUBJECT: CHILD LABOR -- LAUNCH OF MAJOR USG-FUNDED PROJECT
REF: A. JAKARTA 191
B. (07) JAKARTA 3359
JAKARTA 00001345 001.2 OF 002
1. (U) SUMMARY: The International Labor Organization (ILO)
on July 9 officially launched the second five-year phase of
its anti-child labor project in Indonesia. The project is
funded by the U.S. Department of Labor/International Program
on the Elimination of Child Labor (ILO-IPEC). Both the
Minister of Manpower and of Women's Empowerment gave opening
remarks at the event. Labatt also gave opening remarks,
underscoring the success of the USDOL-funded project in its
first five years and how the second five years will more
deeply address the most egregious child labor problems. END
SUMMARY.
KICKING OFF A NEW PHASE
2. (U) On July 9, Manpower Minister Erman Soeparno and
Minister of Women's Empowerment Meutia Hatta opened an event
held to publicize the start of the second phase of the
USDOL-funded $5.55 million ILO/IPEC Project of Support to the
Indonesia Time-bound Program on the Elimination of the Worst
Forms of Child Labor. The project is funded by the U.S.
Department of Labor/International Program on the Elimination
of Child Labor (ILO-IPEC). ILO Indonesia Director Alan
Boulton also addressed the gathering.
SECOND PHASE ADDRESSES ROOT CAUSES
3. (U) Labatt spoke at the event. In his remarks, Labatt
noted that during its first phase the project had made
progress in withdrawing children from exploitative situations
and raising awareness of the problem. The second phase of
the project would delve even deeper into addressing root
causes of the problem. Labatt noted that child labor in
Indonesia has complex socio-economic roots and that this
project addresses not just child labor but the causes related
to education and poverty. He noted how child domestic labor
and child trafficking are important problems that Indonesia
needs to make further progress in addressing.
4. (U) In his remarks, Boulton of ILO thanked the USG for
its focus on the problem and funding of the project. He
explained that the project will target key problem sectors,
including: child domestic labor; child trafficking for
sexual exploitation; child labor in plantations; and, street
children. The project will involve five key areas: North
Sumatra, Lampung (Sumatra), Jakarta, West Java and East Java.
The sectors and places were chosen to address the areas of
serious child labor exploitation.
GOI COOPERATION
5. (U) The two Ministers underlined the GOI's support for
the project. The ILO, for example, will work with the
Manpower Ministry in enforcing child labor laws and improving
workplace conditions, while the Women's Empowerment Ministry
is responsible for the social programs to protect children's
rights as well as overall coordination of child welfare
programs. In her remarks, Minister of Women's Empowerment
Hatta's addressed the child labor issues in clear, critical
terms, focusing at length on child trafficking. Minister of
Manpower Soeparno also made strong points against child labor
and in praise of the project.
6. (U) The Director General for Non-formal Education at the
Education Ministry also attended the opening. Observers have
noted that providing out-of-school and other informal means
to educate children is crucial to the ILO approach to
eliminate the worst forms of child labor, given the extreme
poverty and inability of many families to afford education
beyond the first six to eight years.
A SOLID RECORD OF PROGRESS
7. (U) ILO's close cooperation with the Manpower Ministry
JAKARTA 00001345 002.2 OF 002
has been a major breakthrough in promoting labor rights.
Though the Ministry has a history of problems, child labor
protection is an area in which it has made good progress,
working with police to stop trafficking and eliminate child
labor in some areas. Labatt and other Mission officials have
visited many of the ILO child labor projects linked to the
ILO-IPEC project and noted success in the places targeted.
Mission continues to work closely with ILO and other
international organizations to support the GOI and local NGOs
in these efforts, and will continue to do this during the
second phase of the large-scale project.
HUME