Laos Intensifies Crackdown on Workplace Discrimination and Child Labor

These efforts were reinforced on Wednesday during a meeting to review a draft training manual and communication tools aimed at preventing discrimination in the world of work. The meeting brought together officials and stakeholders to improve understanding and strengthen protections for workers, the local Pasaxon newspaper reported on Friday.

In his speech, Deputy Director General of the ministry's Department of Labour Management Khamphat Onlasy said the initiative seeks to protect workers from all forms of abuse and discrimination while helping Laos meet international labour standards, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Khamphat also urged relevant officials to actively share lessons and experiences with experts to ensure the training manual and communication toolkit on eliminating workplace discrimination are completed on schedule and adapted to the realities of Laos.

The initiative is part of a broader project aimed at eliminating workplace discrimination, abuse, and child labour in Laos to support trade and compliance. The project seeks to align national laws and practices with international labour standards, a key requirement under free trade agreements and evolving expectations in global supply chains.

To achieve these objectives, the project focuses on selected trade-related sectors by strengthening social dialogue and building institutional capacity to prevent discrimination and abuse in the workplace, both in law and in practice. It also promotes labour relations policies that uphold fundamental principles and rights at work, while supporting efforts to eliminate child labour.

Last week, Laos' Ministry of Education and Sports rolled out key reforms to modernize curricula, strengthen human resources and enhance teacher welfare nationwide.

The ministry has also integrated vocational skills into general education, developing new curricula and textbooks in fields such as beauty therapy, electrical repair, refrigeration, agricultural processing, electric motorcycle maintenance and garment production, aiming to better align education with labour market demands, according to Lao Economic Daily on Wednesday.

To address teacher shortages in rural areas, four training programs were organized to deploy personnel and soldiers as teaching assistants in primary schools. Higher education also saw reforms, with 27 curricula revised to meet current academic and professional standards.

Looking ahead, the ministry will focus on key priorities under the 10th national socio-economic development plan, including reducing multi-grade classrooms, upgrading teacher training and expanding ethnic boarding schools to promote inclusive access to quality education.

The ministry reaffirmed its commitment to translating national policies into practical outcomes that support human resource development and sustainable national growth.

- IANS