Informal Interactive Dialogue “Childhood with Dignity: Eliminating child labour in all its forms, including forced recruitment and use of children in armed conflict”
Statement delivered by Ms. Deivi-Päivi Jahami, Attaché, Permanent Mission of Estonia
13 May 2025
Estonia aligns itself with the statement delivered by the European Union and would like to add a few elements in its national capacity.
Estonia welcomes the convening of today’s interactive dialogue that helps to shed light on the challenges in eliminating child labour. We would also like to thank ILO, UNICEF and other partners that are working tirelessly in pursuit of total elimination of child labour. Multilateral cooperation is the key to success. For a meaningful change, we need to work together, while everyone does their part.
Protection and promotion of the rights of the child is one of Estonia’s foreign policy priorities. Estonia has pledged to safeguard and enhance the rights of the child as a candidate for the UN Human Rights Council for the 2026-2028 term. Estonia’s current role in the UNICEF Executive Board Bureau additionally reflects this undertaking.
Recently, we reaffirmed our commitment to the Convention of the Rights of the Child and joined the “Prove It Matters” global campaign, launched by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict. Estonia’s positions are also expressed in the statement delivered on behalf of the Group of Friends of Children and Armed Conflict.
Estonia is fully devoted to upholding its obligations to international conventions, including ILO Conventions on child labour. The Estonian Employment Contracts Act stipulates various specific conditions for minors at work, including limitations for work time and types of work allowed. This protects minors from any harm for their safety and health, and jeopardizing their education.
The Estonian Labour Inspectorate works closely with other competent authorities such as Police, Victim Support, and Tax and Customs Board to combat labour exploitation and human trafficking in all sectors and age groups. These institutions exchange information and regularly carry out joint inspections. When conducting supervision and prevention activities, the Labour Inspectorate also specifically focuses on vulnerable groups.
Estonia remains steadfast to eliminate child labour in all its forms through taking action at a national as well as international level.
I thank you.