Working children: The weakest laborers and poorest children

The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) has been a close partner of Global Ministries since its establishment. The MECC plays an active role in conflict resolution, peace and community building, and bringing together Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant churches throughout the Middle East. MECC’s Peace, and Human Rights program (JPHR) has worked to raise awareness, reflect and produce documentation on the spiritual foundations of human rights, and the means of creating an overall culture of rights in the Middle East.

Middle East Council of Churches

The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) has been a close partner of Global Ministries since its establishment. The MECC plays an active role in conflict resolution, peace and community building, and bringing together Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant churches throughout the Middle East. MECC’s Peace, and Human Rights program (JPHR) has worked to raise awareness, reflect and produce documentation on the spiritual foundations of human rights, and the means of creating an overall culture of rights in the Middle East.

In Egypt, the national member churches and JPHR have initiated work to directly help working children. These children are a significant group in Egyptian society whose basic human rights are not respected. Although the law prohibits child labor in Egypt, it is not enforced. Some 20-40 percent of children must work to help their families survive. Children work for very low wages, and are exposed to unhealthy behavior by the adults around them including smoking, drug addition, sexual harassment, and abuse.

To meet the needs of the working children, JPHR is establishing “Working children: The Weakest Laborers and Poorest Children.” This program will teach children to know their rights, encourage workshop owners not to abuse the children they employ, and will help parents to better protect their children. It is also building a network and model example for the social protection of working children’s labor rights.

This project will be the pilot program. Three villages have been identified where industrial workshops heavily use child labor. Field visits and surveys will be conducted and social workers will establish a working plan for their village. Weekend events and workshops will be held to promote the project. Trainers will work with the children and experiences and results will be shared. The work will be evaluated in consultation with the local workshops and the affected children.