World Day Against Child Labor: when is it, why is it celebrated and what is its origin –

Child labor remains a sad reality. The month of June is the month in which the World Day Against the Exploitation of Child Labor is celebrated, so we now offer you all the information about it. Find out now what is World Day Against Child Labor and also, when it is, why it is celebrated and what is its origin.

World day against child labour: when is it

Child labor is also considered child slavery so, like this, you have a day to raise awareness throughout the world and denounce the situation of many children in the world. The World Day Against Child Labor is celebrated on June 12. One day it was established in 2002 by the ILO (International Labor Organization) to focus attention on the wide spread of child labour.

It is an important day, which aims to call for a renewed commitment to eliminate the worst forms of economic exploitation of minors.

World Day Against Child Labour: why it is celebrated

The conference also aims highlight the efforts and actions necessary to prevent and eradicate child labor.

There are 152 million victims of child labor and half of them, or 74 million, are involved in very dangerous work, such as working in mines, in contact with agrochemicals and pesticides or with dangerous machinery.

If everyone lived in one country, they would be the ninth most populous state in the world.

Child exploitation according to the ILO

The ILO notes, for example, that in Madagascar children are involved in brick making and other dangerous tasks and therefore are among those in need of protection. But not only in Madagascar. There are children employed in mines in Cambodia, on tea plantations in Zimbabwe or making glass bangles in India. Not to mention the 8,000 children who live as beggars in the city of Dakar, Senegal alone.

The Another face of this tragic reality is the sexual exploitation of minors: affects one million children each year.

What is child labour?

To fully understand the situation that is reported on this day, we have to know that not all the tasks that children do are work. For example, helping parents at home, in the business or on the family farm under certain conditions, earning a little money outside school hours or during school holidays are not considered tasks that fall within the scope of “child labour”. . On the other hand, this concept extends to all activities that deprive children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity and that negatively affect their schooling, their health, their physical and mental development.

Below are some examples of very risky situations and tasks that children should never do but which are nonetheless regularly assigned to them in countries where child labor exploitation clearly occurs:

  • The preparation, handling and application of toxic pesticides;
  • The use of dangerous and sharp tools;
  • Driving powerful agricultural vehicles and heavy machinery;
  • Excessively busy work hours, etc.

Most child labor: agriculture

Worldwidethe majority of children work in the agricultural sector . This sector employs more than 70% of the working children in the world. These children help produce the food and drinks that we all consume: cereals, cocoa, coffee, fruits, sugar, palm oil, rice, tea, vegetables, livestock, etc.

World Day against child labor: what is its origin

As we have pointed out In 2002, the International Labor Organization (ILO) launched the World Day Against Child Labor for draw attention to the widespread phenomenon of children being victims of forced labor all over the world. Each year a theme is sought to follow in order to keep alive the necessary commitment to keep the fight useful to eradicate this terrible human mechanism that abuses the “future” of our world.

The theme of the day 2021 it is: “Act Now: End Child Labour!”by virtue of the ratification of Convention No. 182 of the International Labor Organization on the worst forms of child labour.

The objectives for Child Labor Day

Child labor and exploitation affects children, but also older people. A situation that, as we have mentioned, occurs in many poor countries, which also have to do with risk situations for human life. More than 1.5 million people around the world are involved in armed conflict, violence and situations of vulnerability and every year more than 200 million people are victims of natural disasters. A third of these people are minors. Most of the 168 million children in child labor live in disaster-affected or conflict-affected areas.

The The ILO wants to phase out all forms of child labour, making hazardous work for children a priority. Strategies to achieve this focus on poverty reduction, because parents who have real options prefer that their children do not work to support themselves and live their childhood to the fullest. Therefore, the ILO promotes decent work opportunities for parents and tries to improve school facilities to promote access to education. In addition, the ILO fights to enforce laws already in place that aim to protect children from labor and exploitation, but which are sometimes ignored or not enforced.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) is an international treaty by which countries agree to protect the rights of all children. This stipulates in particular that every child has the right to education, play and real protection against exploitation and work.

By 2030, among the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, goal number 8 is to be achieved, which aims to «eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery, human trafficking and ensure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child laborl». And for this it is necessary to intensify and accelerate efforts, especially in areas affected by conflicts and disasters, and this must be done at all levels and in all countries.