Report on Training workshop for combating Child labor in the eart-hquake hit area

Training workshop of implementing partners under Pakistan Earth-   Quake Child Labor Response (PECLR) Project<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

22-23 2008 PC Abbottabad

By Habib ul Hassan PC Bright Educational Society (BES)

Participants – SSD, BES, DLG, International Labor Organization(ILO)Mansehra, and ILO team <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Islamabad, technical coordinator ILO, Anjum Asim Shahid Rehman Charter accountant Islamabad.

DAY ONE:

                                         Activity 1 Program strategy

After introduction of the participants, Mr. Shabaz Bokhari in his introductory speech said that the purpose of the workshop is to introduce and explain the main them of the project. He said that after the session the participants will be able to know the reporting procedure of the project. He said that this project will be closely monitored by the donor and the ILO is firmly understood that with out understanding of the procedure the partners could not be able to implement the project properly.

• Training needs-

Vocational training will be imported to the families of the child involved in the worst form of labor. Mr. Sh Bukhari said that training need of the families must be identified. And for this purpose it is necessary to consult the beneficiaries and thoroughly analyze the situation.

• Linkages with micro Finance institutes.

Mr. Bukhari said that some of the Micro Financial Institutes (MFIs) like Khushali Bank etc are working in the area and families of the child laborers will be linked with the MFIs.

• Streamlining of children into formal.

When the school going age children come to the RC, please refer it to formal school and continue the consultative process with the community, teachers and PTA.

Aness Haroon technical advisor ILO Islamabad said that technical report writing is the backbone of the project and it is co-related with the financial report. ILO accepts those reports which cover the basic requirement of the ILO standards of reporting procedure. He gives some example of Sailkot Combating CL projects and said that there was failure due the changing socio economic conditions. The succor ball laborers were shifted from factories to homes but the project workers stick with the inertial methodologies. This was the reason that, besides years of efforts the numbers of child labor was increased.

Reporting System

Mr. Waheed Rehman   finance officer ILO Mansehra said that the technical report must be matching with the financial Report. So both the project coordinators and the finance assistant must look it together and compile it jointly.

BES team and other participants actively took part in the discussion and share past experiences regarding Child Protection/ CL. Participants also share their concerns and obstacles about AP.  Mr. Bukhari answered the questions and said that all the IPs can contact him for any information and help.

At the end Mr. Bukhari emphasized on the recruitment of competent staff for the smooth implementation of the project. He said that field coordinators are the ear and eyes of the project and a competent and qualified person can lead the project towards success. He said that we need some creative teachers to work whole heartedly and understand the Action Plan.

Social mobilization was also a point in the workshop contents but due to shortage of time it was drafted from the present session.

Practical exercise to fill out fill technical and financial progress reports

In the last session practical exercise about technical and financial Progress Report (PR) was carried out. It was a great opportunity to learn the essence of reporting in the presence of   the technical and financial Managers.

Day Two:

      Presentations   about the Action Plan the by the IPs.

      Comments by the technical adviser and Chatter accountants.

      Open session –Question Answer

After the presentation Wasqas Waris assistant manger Charter accountant firm said that his firm is closely looking into the financial matters and if your documents not fulfill the requirement it will delay your payment.

Mr. Sujeewa suggested that 41 days are long time for such a short project of 16 months. The accountancy firm representative refused this suggestion and said that the time period for the accuracy of the document has been decided collectively by all the members of the firm, if we reduce the time it will be impossible to properly scrutinize the IPs documents.

Networking

Meraj Hamyoon khan chief executive of the DLG suggested that networking of the partner is very beneficial for the IPs to collaborate with each other and take advantage of the IPs expertise. She said that in Peshawar most of the IPs working together and it is very fruitful for the result oriented implementation of the project.

Concluding remarks

Mr. Sujeewa Fonseka, chief Technical Advisor ILO

He said that the project staff must be creative and look into the matter from the whole spectrum of child protection. Following is the excerpt from the technical advisor oration.

·         Differentiation of worst form of child labor.

Chief Technical Advisor said that understanding of different forms of child labor is too much important he refers to BESs Habib Hassan arguments that the vulnerability of a working child has the potentialities to lead them to worst form. Technical advisor said that this point is realistic and the working child should be watch closely so that they can be prevented to enter to the worst form.

• Ensuring the quality, he said that the implementing partners must concentrate on quality instead of just completing the time period. The result?


• Good teachers and environment- loving and caring teacher can adequately handle the children facing worst situations. It is important to select the teachers carefully and proper training for all the teachers must be ensured.


• Planning must be parting to the objectives of the project, so that it will be easy to understand the implementation process.


• The IP must cooperate with each others and share their collective wisdom with each others because mutual cooperation will lead you towards success.


• The IPS not only sticks with the already preferred project Action Plan but must be creative to handle the situation. Put new ideas based on reality and your theory must be attainable.


• Make use of previous experiences.  He said that the project document is not the bible, may be you have good knowledge and approach towards better implementation.

Social mobilization was   included in the contents list of the current workshop but due to shortage of time it was postponed at the moment. Sitting for this part of the workshop will be resumed in Mansehra.