Santo Domingo. - The Government yesterday presented its plan to rid the Dominican Republic of child labor in its worse forms, an initiative of the Office of the First Lady, the Labor Ministry, and the National Council for Childhood and Adolescence (CONANI), employers, workers and society.

The announcement in the National Palace was headed by the vice president Rafael Alburquerque, the First lady Margarita Cedeño, and Labor minister Max Puig, who affirmed that in the effort to eradicate child labor and its worse forms, the country has reached important milestones.

Puig said still pending are the changes toward a legal framework applicable to child labor, fused in a single legislation which adheres to the rights and international treaties, but acknowledged that a high percentage of the population tolerates the practice.  

Cedeño affirmed that her Office conducts important programs aimed at the integral development of the Dominican childhood in all aspects, and noted that the consequences of child labor perpetuate poverty and insecurity in affected sectors.

She expressed her personal concern with the proliferation of children beggars in the streets, in her view often with their parents’ irresponsible consent.

Present in the activity were the members of the National Directive Committee for the Eradication of Child Labor, the International Labor Convention (IEO), and union leaders.