Despite the inclement weather, scores of participants turned out in impressive numbers on Thursday, June 12, 2025, for the World Day Against Child Labour Awareness Walk, hosted by the Ministry of Labour.
The event led by Minister of Labour Joseph Hamilton, Minister of Human Services and Social Security Dr. Vindhya Persaud, and Senior Labour Officer Ms. Michelle Baburam marked a powerful demonstration of the country’s solidarity and resolve to eradicate child labour in all of its manifestations.
Also present at the event were Ministerial Advisor Ms Gillian Burton-Persaud; Chief Recruitment and Manpower Officer Ms. Yolanda Grant; Consultant of the Occupational Safety and Health Ms Gweneth King; Chief Executive Officer Mr Richard Maughn; and Mr. Norris Witter, President of the General Workers’ Union (GWU), among other distinguished officials.
Delivering the keynote address, Minister Hamilton lauded the collective efforts of stakeholders and citizens while reminding the audience that the journey is far from over.
“𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐟𝐚𝐫 𝐰𝐞’𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐚 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐫.
With that in mind, he thanked the previous speakers for their contributions, who highlighted the multiple forms that child labour can take. “𝐖𝐞, 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞, 𝐢𝐧 𝐆𝐮𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐰𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞,” the Minister said.
Minister Hamilton highlighted several ongoing initiatives by the Ministry of Labour, including its collaboration with the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security and the Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA).
He noted the joint workshops held with probation officers and other professionals aimed at strengthening inter-agency coordination and responsiveness to child labour cases.
The minister also announced a broad-based awareness campaign targeting more than 20 secondary schools across Guyana. These school visits, already underway, are aimed at educating students about their rights and the dangers of child labour.
In addition, regional activities such as the National Child Labour Art Competition and awareness walks in Regions Four and Six are also planned.
“𝐖𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡—𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐧𝐬—𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐧𝐨 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝,” the Minister said.
He expressed deep appreciation for all those who braved the weather to attend, particularly the many schoolchildren who participated.
“𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐰𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞—𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐫,” he said. “𝐋𝐞𝐭 𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐆𝐮𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐬 𝐚 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲, 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝.”
This year’s theme for World Day Against Child Labour: “Progress is clear, but there’s more to do: Let’s speed up efforts!”
