On June 12, 2002, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) started the first World Day Against Child Labour in Geneva. This day is about saying no to kids working when they should be learning and having fun.
In India, since 1987, the government has had a plan to help kids who are working. This plan helps them go to school instead of working. It also helps their families so they can earn money in better ways.
Theme
This year’s World Day Against Child Labour theme is “Let’s act on our commitments: End Child Labour!” It’s all about remembering that 25 years ago, a really important rule was made called the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention. This rule helps protect kids from really bad types of work.
Significance
The World Day Against Child Labour is important for many reasons. It helps everyone see how big the problem of kids working is worldwide, and it encourages governments and groups to work together to stop it. On this day, people also talk about ways to fight child labour, share ideas that work, and team up with others.
This day also reminds us to make better rules and make sure they’re followed to keep kids safe. It asks for better schools and services for kids because education is a big help in stopping child labour. And it reminds us to fix the main reasons why kids end up working, like not having enough money, unfair treatment, and not enough jobs for grown-ups.
Over the years, people have worked hard to stop kids from working. Many countries agreed on rules, like how old kids have to be to work, and said certain types of work for kids are not okay.
Groups like charities, governments, and worldwide organizations have run campaigns to reduce child labour in some places. For example, from 2000 to 2016, the number of kids working went down by 38% worldwide. But now, the COVID-19 pandemic is making things harder. It might undo the progress we’ve made and put more kids at risk of being forced to work.