The International Labour Organisation has launched a bold new initiative aimed at accelerating the removal of millions of children from the most abusive forms of child labourt.

The initiative — starting first in Tanzania, Nepal and El Salvador — involves intensified efforts aimed at ending the worst forms of child labour, in participating countries, in ten years or less.

The effort, known as the "Time bound programmes" is a major step to implement ILO Convention No. 182, adopted unanimously by the International Labour Conference in 1999 to ban the worst forms of child labour.

The ‘Time bound programmes’ approach in the three countries will focus on eliminating the use of children in situations such as scavenging at garbage dumps, portering, mining, domestic work, bonded labour, commercial agriculture, fishing, commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking in children. Several other countries are expected to join the initiative during the next two years.

The ILO’s international programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) is co-ordinating the effort. Tanzanian President, Benjamin Mkapa is to address a special session of the ILO’s annual conference where the initiative is being formally launched. Also scheduled to speak at the sessions are German Labour Minister Walter Riester, Salvadorian Labour Minister Jorge Nieto Menendez, US Deputy Secretary of Labour D. Cameron Findley and Ambassador Shambhu Ram Sinkhada of Nepal.

The United States government is the largest donor to IPEC and has provided initial funds for start-up of the ‘Time bound programme’ in three countries. The German government was the founding donor for IPEC in 1992. IPEC is currently supported by some 25 donors and operates programames in more than 70 countries.