United Nations(UN)’s World Day Against Child Labour is annually observed across the globe on 12th June to highlight the focus on the global extent of child labour and the action and efforts required to eliminate Child Labour.
- UN declared 2021 as the International Year for the Elimination of Child Labour.
- Based on the theme “Act now: end child labour“, a high-level virtual event will be carried by International Labour Conference(ILC) on 2021 World Day Against Child Labour.
Background:
i.The World Day Against Child Labour was formally launched by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in 2002.
ii.The first World Day Against Child Labour was observed on 12th June 2002.
World Day Against Child Labour 2021:
i.As a part of the World Day Against Child Labour 2021, a “Week of Action” will be celebrated from June 10-17 with the launch of new global estimates on child labour.
ii.The action taken on this 2021 World Day and the throughout the year will contribute to the 2022 Global Conference on Child Labor hosted by the South African government.
iii.The UN Sustainable Development Goals target 8.7 calls to end child labour in all its form by 2025.
Issues Child Labours Across the Globe:
i.Around 218 million children across the globe work full time and do not attend school.
ii.Around 50% of these child labours work in hazardous environments, slavery, or other forms of forced labour, illicit activities including drug trafficking and prostitution, as well as involvement in armed conflict.
iii.Around 1 in every 10 children across the globe is compelled to work.
Recent Reports:
i.International Labour Organisation (ILO) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) released a report titled “Child Labour Global Estimates 2020, trends and roads forward” which states that as of 2020 globally around 160 million children(63 million girls and 97 million boys) were in child labour.
ii.The UNICEF report “Rapid Assessment of Learning During School Closures In The Context of Covid” states that In India around 286 million students (48% girls) from pre-primary to upper secondary education were affected because of the school closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
About International Labour Organization (ILO):
Director-General– Guy Ryder
Headquarters– Genève, Switzerland
Created in– 1919
