Tobacco Asia

Tobacco Asia 63 • Factors pull children to work on tobacco plantations are high demand for labor (particularly during the harvest season), regulations that have not explicitly specified hazardous works in the ag- ricultural sector and the need for skills transfer and regeneration in the agricultural sector. In response to this data, the Indonesian Min- istry of National Development Planning (BAPPE- NAS) and other concerned stakeholders, with the support from the ECLT Foundation, formed the Partnership for Action Against Child Labor in Ag- riculture (PAACLA) in 2018 as a comprehensive and long-term platform for tackling child labor in the agricultural sector. Furthermore, the ECLT Foundation imple- mented the KESEMPATAN project with the aim to strengthen stakeholder cooperation and coor- dination of actions against child labor in agricul- ture in Indonesia. The strategic objective was to prevent children from 5 to 17 years old from all forms of child labor in agriculture, with specific objectives including: • Strengthening PAACLA as a platform for scaling up action against child labor in the agricul- ture sector in Indonesia. • Increasing understanding and awareness of farmers and farm workers about child labor and regulations related to child labor and elimination of the worst forms of child labor in agriculture. • Enhancing national level stakeholders' knowledge on child labor in the agriculture sector in Indonesia. • Developing a child-friendly village model that is proven effective in reducing child labor in agriculture to be replicated to other villages. This project has not only directly supported over 3,000 children and 600 caregivers across East Java and 200 in West Nusa Tenggara provinces, but also has helped PAACLA become a multi- stakeholder platform chaired by BAPENNAS, comprising 27 members including 5 government institutions, 8 companies, and 14 civil society or- ganisations. Moreover, the KESEMPATAN project strengthened PAACLA members' capacities on child labor by delivering tailor-made trainings for A new US$1 million-project aiming to fight child labor in agriculture in Indonesia will start this July. its members, producing books on child labor issues within the agriculture sec- tor, and facilitating meetings among members. In 2021, a list of hazardous tasks for children in tobacco growing was fi- nalized in consultation with PAACLA members and other stakeholders. This list provides information on whether a particular job or task in tobacco farm- ing can be done by children and serves as a reference for the KESEMPATAN project partners in the field in carrying out awareness activities about tasks that are hazardous to children. About the ECLT Foundation The ECLT Foundation is committed to collaborative solutions for children, farmers, and families, that combat the root causes of child labor in areas where tobacco is grown. Based in Geneva, Switzerland, ECLT advocates for strong policies, shares best practices to multiply our impact, and engages rural families so they can benefit from farming while ensuring that their children are healthy, educated and encouraged to reach their full potential. The KESEMPATAN project has already directly supported over 3,000 children and 600 caregivers in East Java and 200 in West Nusa Tenggara. The project in numbers: • 188 local cadres from 30 KESEMPATAN project villages have been trained as trainers. • 30 villages were targeted for developing "child- friendly villages". • 2,691 farmers and agricultural workers in target villages in East Java and West Nusa Tenggara had attended training on child labor in the agricultural sector and on regulations prohibiting child labor. Credit: ECLT Foundation Credit: ECLT Foundation

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