The U.S. Department of Labor has announced the recipients of the 2024 Iqbal Masih Award for the Elimination of Child Labor. This annual award recognizes exceptional efforts by individuals, companies, organizations, or national governments to end the worst forms of child labor.
This year's recipients are Wadi El Nil Association, an Egyptian civil society organization, and Andrews Addoquaye Tagoe, a leading trade unionist in Ghana.
“The recipients of the 2024 Iqbal Masih Award are champions in the fight against child labor,” stated Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs Thea Lee. “Their unwavering efforts and achievements in the ongoing campaign to eliminate child labor have rescued children from the dangers of hazardous work and created economic opportunities for families to help derail the cycle of child labor in Egypt and Ghana.”
Wadi El Nil Association has been pivotal in combating child labor in Egypt’s limestone mining sector for over two decades. The organization rescues children from hazardous quarries and offers them pathways to education and skills development. It aims to break the connection between poverty and child labor by providing microloans to families for economic stability. Recently, Wadi El Nil extended additional support to vulnerable families and collaborated with community organizations and volunteers to mitigate the pandemic's impact on those in need.
In Ghana, Tagoe serves as Deputy General Secretary of the General Agricultural Workers Union of the Ghana Trade Union Congress. He has significantly advanced child and workers’ rights, playing a crucial role in ending child labor within the agricultural industry. By organizing rural economies and working with communities, Tagoe has facilitated thousands of children's transition from labor into schooling. His advocacy has fostered a strong network of anti-child labor champions both within Ghana and internationally.
The Iqbal Masih Award for the Elimination of Child Labor was established by Congress in 2008 as a non-monetary honor presented annually by the Secretary of Labor. The award commemorates Iqbal Masih, a Pakistani child sold into slavery at age four who later became an outspoken advocate against child exploitation before his tragic death at age 12.
