Raising Awareness about Child Labour Prevention and Remediation in Sabah

Teacher Training

In September, MY Voice conducted a comprehensive one-day training session on Child Labour Prevention and Remediation, in cooperation with Humana Child Aid Society Sabah. Humana is a Malaysian based NGO that runs Alternative Learning Centres (ALCs) in Sabah for children living in plantations and for undocumented children in urban areas, funded by local plantation companies. Alongside other ALCs in Sabah, Humana has formed an informal coalition to organize skills and knowledge-building activities for educators.  

The interactive MY Voice training aimed to increase teachers’ understanding of child labour, including its definition, children’s basic rights, the relationship between business and child rights, and child labour prevention and remediation. Thirty-three participants attended from six organizations: Humana Learning Centres, Stairway to Hope, Advocate for Non-Discrimination and Access to Knowledge (ANAK), Borneo Komrad, Madrasah Al-Hikmah, and ALC-KLK.

Training for Palm Oil Labour Working Group 

In November, MY Voice organized an online learning session on child labour prevention and remediation in collaboration with The Jurisdictional Certification Steering Committee (JCSC). The interactive training was attended by 16 participants, mainly from JCSC Labour Working Group, including Sabah Jurisdictional Approach Secretariat, WWF-Malaysia, Department of Trade Union Affairs, Sawit Kinabalu, and Global Shepherds. Other Sabah-based organizations, including Cahaya Society, Harimaju Plantation, Pua Brothers Agriculture, and the Federal Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities (KPK), were also represented. 

The training improved participants’ understanding of the basic rights of children, the minimum age to work, and the role and responsibilities of companies in remediating child labour. This session was just an introductory exploration into these challenging topics. My Voice will continue to engage with the JCSC and other palm oil actors, delivering in-depth educational initiatives that will embed deeper understanding of the topics and equip participants to take action to prevent and remediate child labor.