Eradication of Child Labor Week Underway in Santo Domingo

Eradication of Child Labor Week Underway in Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic  5/31/12

The La Merced Niños Limpiabotas (Shoeshine Children) Foundation, dedicated to the prevention and eradication of child labor and to the care of children, is inviting the Dominican population to participate in activities around Eradication of Child Labor Weekin Santo Domingo West, under the slogan “Put Yourself in My Shoes.” Events are being held between June 5-12, 2012.

“We find this to be the correct time and place to carry out these activities during the month of June which is the month when the global eradication of child labor is being celebrated internationally,” said Fray García.

The activities programmed include a cycle of conferences and workshops on topics related to the prevention and eradication of child labor and on social corporate responsibility toward children.

Fray Tomás García, Director of the Foundation, explained that the purpose of this week´s activities and World Day against Child Labor is to raise awareness about the situation in which many children are found in the DR. This includes children who work on the street and who do not enjoy fundamental rights such as education, adequate nutrition, healthcare and recreational activities.

“We find this to be the correct time and place to carry out these activities during the month of June which is the month when the global eradication of child labor is being celebrated internationally,” said Fray García.

The week will begin on Tuesday June 5 with a press conference for the media to receive information on this issue. The press briefing will be held at the Federico Henríquez y Carvajal University at 10:00 a.m.

The week will also include a Walk against Child Labor to be held on Saturday June 9 in Santo Domingo West. There will be a Footprint Recognition ceremony for those people, companies and institutions that have put on the shoes of the young shoeshine children and who have taken the first steps to understand the situation and to eradicate child labor.

This week´s activities are being carried out with support from the following institutions that work for children and children´s rights: World Labor Organization (WTO), the Ministry of Labor, the Santo Domingo West Committee against Child Labor, the Syndicate against Child Labor, the Coalition of NGOs for Children, CONANI, UNICEF, the Town Hall of Santo Domingo West, AESDO, Social Pastoral of the Archdiocese of Santo Domingo, the Federico Henríquez y Carvajal University, the Ramos Group, the León Jimenes Group, Opal Jeans, Cultural Center of Spain and the Orange Foundation.

The Merced Niños Limpiabotas (Shoeshine Children) Foundation is a non-profit organization created by the congregation and church community of Our Lady of  Guadalupe (Las Caobas, Santo Domingo West – Dominican Republic). The goal of the Foundation is to advocate for the liberation of the shoeshine children and to guarantee their rights.

For more information related to the Foundation´s activities, please contact the offices by calling the following numbers:  (809) 620-9905/ 829 564-4797 or visit the office at this address: Manzana 20, #7, Las Palmas de Herrera, Santo Domingo. Our email address is: fnl.lamerced@gmail.com.