*World Day Against Child Labour* was introduced in 2002 by the International Labour Organisation. The day provides an opportunity and urges the need to generate an environment for children to grow and live a dignified life and also to fight against child labour throughout the world.
Poverty is one of the main reasons for child labour because of which children are forced to left their school and opt for minimal jobs to support their parents for their livelihood. Moreover, some are forced into child labour by organised crime rackets.
The Day not only focuses on the suitable environment required for the children to grow and prosper but also provide an opportunity to gain support from governments, civil society, schools, youth, women's groups and media to participate in the campaign against child labour.
World Day Against Child Labour: History
In 1919, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) was established to promote social justice and to set up an International Labour Standards. Let us tell you that the ILO has 187 member states. The Kingdom of Tonga, a South Pacific island nation, became the 187th member State of the International Labour Organization (ILO). Since then, the ILO has passed several conventions to improve the conditions of labour across the globe. Not only this, but also provides guidelines on matters like wages, working hours, favourable environment etc.
In 1973, ILO convention number 138 was adopted and focused on the minimum age for employment. It aims the member states to raise the minimum age of employment and to abolish child labour. In 1999, the ILO convention number 182 was adopted and was also known as "Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention". It aims to take necessary and immediate action to eliminate the worst form that is child labour.
What constitutes Child Labour?
According to the International Labour Organisation, child labour is "work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity and that is harmful to physical and mental health". That is such type of work that deprives the children of their right to education and dignified living. ILO also says that child labour is such type of work which have physically, mentally and socially consequences on the children and damages them in some or the other way. In fact, any type of work that stops children to take school education is also child labour. It is categorised into three forms: work that deprives the children of the opportunity to attend school, work that forced a child to leave school at an early age and work that requires children to attend school but with the heavy workload.
World Day Against Child Labour: Significance
This day mainly focus on the children development and it protects the right of education and dignified life for the children. Therefore, it is important to achieve the Sustainable development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 as propagated by the UN. Several organisations, ILO etc. are making efforts to curb the child labour. But we should also be responsible and take our duties to help in eliminating child labour. It is correctly said that the child that comes out of child labour comes to know his or her potential and self-worth. They began to enjoy life, human rights and live a dignified life. No doubt such children will also contribute to the economic and social growth of the country and also of the world. Children are the future of the country, isn’t it!
Some Facts about Child Labour
According to the UN,
- Around 152 million children between the ages of 5-17 were in child labour and almost half of them that is around 73 million are in hazardous child labour.
- Almost 48% victims of child labour were aged 5-11, 28% were 12-14 years old and 24% were 15-17 years old.
Stop Child Labour, Protect the right of children, educate them, and support them!