SUVA, July 24 (Xinhua) -- Children must be at the center of labor mobility policies, said Arthur Faerua, director general of Vanuatu's Ministry of Justice and Community Services, at a recent seminar focused on challenges posed by seasonal work schemes in the Pacific region.
The two-day event, which brought together high-level delegates from Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, underscored a unified commitment to ensuring the well-being of families affected by labor mobility programs such as the Seasonal Worker Program in Australia and Recognized Seasonal Employer scheme in New Zealand.
The seminar also highlighted collaborative efforts to protect children's well-being while maximizing economic benefits, the Vanuatu Daily Post reported on Wednesday.
These programs, while economically beneficial through remittances and local spending, present challenges by straining family relationships and affecting children left behind by migrating parents, the report said.
Faerua emphasized the critical need to prioritize children's welfare, stressing it as a collective responsibility and urging the four Pacific island nations to consistently uphold children's rights. ■