The 5th global conference on the elimination of child labour effectively commenced on Sunday May 15, 2022 at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Durban International Convention Centre (known as Durban ICC).

Contrary to the previous ones, this year’s conference was exceptional in so many ways. It was not only because it was the first one ever to be held on the African soil.

One other particularity of the South African edition was the strong inter-ministerial task team that worked together to ensure the conference is a great and successful one to be remembered.

It was the first time such international summit is hosted without any incident.

The host country ensured the effective participation of all stakeholders from all sundry; to guarantee that the final memorandum includes the true opinion of the children as the matter concerns them.

Children from around the world had the unique opportunity to express themselves on issues concerning them.

Child labour survivors from around the world had the unique opportunity to tell their individual stories. I had the opportunity to interview some of them. Many silent survivors could truly relate to them.

Global leaders and governments’ representatives present were seriously concerned about the gravity of the problem of child labour, thus more seriously committed themselves, of course on behalf of their respective countries, to adhere without restrictions to the terms of the final memorandum titled “The Durban Call for Action.”

It’s not a coincidence if President Cyril Ramaphosa quoted in his address the former President and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Nelson Mandela: “Our children are the rock on which our future will be built, our greatest asset as a nation. They will be the leaders of our country, the creators of our national wealth, who care for and protect our people.” It’s because the President knows that he can capitalize on the aura of this great soul to imprint the final call for action in everyone.

We interviewed many guests, including but not limited to the following:

• Honorable Mr. James Hot Mai, Minister of Labour of the Republic of South Sudan (Video attached in the Gallery)

https://youtu.be/hRjZvVDKcVE

• Mrs. Lumka Oliphant, the Spokesperson for the Department of Social Development of South Africa(Video attached in the Gallery)

https://youtu.be/Vl7ZFeFjt0w

We also interviewed some child labour survivors who agreed to share their stories with the world through our camera.

• Child labour survivors from Ghana (Video attached in the Gallery)

https://youtu.be/9LghSZ8uEv4

• Child labour survivors from India (Video attached in the Gallery)

https://youtu.be/njiLrj_9k60

• Child labour survivors from India (Video attached in the Gallery)

https://youtu.be/njiLrj_9k60

• Child labour witness from Malawi (Video attached in the Gallery)

https://youtu.be/njiLrj_9k60

Prior to the event, on May 05, 2022 that the South African Minister of Employment and Labour, Mr Thulas Nxesi and the Inter-Ministerial Committee invite members of the media to a briefing at the Capital Pearls Hotel in Umhlanga, Durban.

During this media briefing, the Minister will present the actual ILO’s latest figures on the global state of child labour, before inviting all the conference delegates to sincerely commit to adhere to the Durban’s conference final document “Durban Call for Action”.

The conference was concluded on 20th May 2022, without any record of a single incident be it of any kind.

Having followed this fifth global conference on elimination of child labour until the closing ceremony, it is with pleasure that we salute the organizers and the host for having successfully managed to keep the majority of the attendees, and the delegates engaged relentlessly until the end. Everyone played his/her role with serious commitment, and the final book titled “The Durban’s Call for Action” was signed by the delegates with a strong promise to respect it. That is new and it truly symbolizes the South African excellence.

No matter how well the next conference will be, it will remain evident that this 5th global conference was indeed the best of all to date.