World Day Against Child Labour

Supriya Jain
Dec 22, 2023 By Supriya Jain
Originally Published on Mar 25, 2022
Fact-checked by Pratiti Nath
World Day Against Child Labour aims to improve educational development and personal development for social justice.


Where is World Day Against Child Labour observed?

The World Day Against Child Labour is observed by the United Nations throughout the world with the help of its agencies, ILO and UNICEF, who encourage children to attend school.

Who is the World Day Against Child Labour observed by?

Two of the specialized agencies of the United Nations, ILO and UNICEF, jointly observe World Day Against Child Labour as a global event through various conventions and International Labour Conferences.

When did World Day Against Child Labour first start?

The World Day Against Child Labour was first launched in 2002 by the International Labour Organization (ILO) to highlight the poor condition of children working as laborers.

Who started the World Day Against Child Labour?

The International Labour Organization (ILO) started the World Day Against Child Labour.

History And Timeline

The movement against child labor has been around for a long time now. Here are some of its most important highlights.

The Minimum Age Convention

For the protection of the health, safety, and morals of young people, the minimum age for employment or work was declared. It should not be less than 18 as per Article 31.

1973

The ILO’s Convention No.182

187 member states of the International Labour Organization ratified the convention on the 'Worst Forms of Child Labour'.

1999

Child Labour In Developing Countries

There were an estimated 215 million child laborers in the world, of which 115 million were involved in hazardous work.

2011

Elimination Of Child Labor

UN General Assembly declared 2021 as the International Year for the Elimination of Child Labour 

July 2019

ILO And UNICEF Report

An increase of 8.4 million children was recorded in child labor due to the impacts of COVID-19, putting millions more at risk.

June 10, 2021

Traditions And Customs

Earlier, the main causes of child labor used to be either family business, poverty, or children dropping out of school at an early age. It was not forced, it was circumstantial.

But with the growth of industries, the need for cheap labor forced children into child labor, with most of them engaged in hazardous work in agriculture, mining, construction, manufacturing, hotels, bars and restaurants, markets, and domestic service.

A lot of children are abused, exploited, and forcefully recruited into armed conflicts. Many children in African nations are involved in hazardous jobs that can cause injury or moral corruption.

Ways To Observe World Day Against Child Labour

There are several ways through which we can observe World Day Against Child Labour. Some of them are spreading awareness, implementing more stringent laws against child labour, sending more and more children to school, discouraging people from employing children in homes, shops, factories, and supporting NGOs that work for children’s welfare and rights.

Facts And Stats

  • Urged by convention numbers 138 and 182, the ILO sanctioned June 12 as World Day Against Child Labour to raise awareness and activism to prevent physical child labor.
  • The World Day Against Child Labor is observed to raise awareness and activism in the fight against child labor.
  • Various educational campaigns are organized by the UN to observe this day across the world.

What is child labour?

Children who are under the age of 18 and are employed for physical labor are known as child laborers.

Why is World Day Against Child Labour observed?

It is observed to raise awareness of the detrimental effects of child labor on the physical and mental development of children.

What are some of the advantages of observing World Day Against Child Labour?

On this day, governments, employers, workers' organizations, civil society, and millions of people from around the world join hands to eradicate child labor.

Why do people follow World Day Against Child Labour?

People follow World Day Against Child Labour to deal with the growing number of child laborers. Awareness is raised by people so that children can grow and develop properly health-wise as well as mentally.

When Is This Day Celebrated

  • Friday, June 12, 2020
  • Saturday, June 12, 2021
  • Sunday, June 12, 2022
  • Monday, June 12, 2023
  • Wednesday, June 12, 2024

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Written by Supriya Jain

Bachelor of Commerce, Master of Business Administration specializing in Marketing

Supriya Jain picture

Supriya JainBachelor of Commerce, Master of Business Administration specializing in Marketing

As a skilled member of the Kidadl team, Shruti brings extensive experience and expertise in professional content writing. With a Bachelor's degree in Commerce from Punjab University and an MBA in Business Administration from IMT Nagpur, Shruti has worked in diverse roles such as sales intern, content writer, executive trainee, and business development consultant. Her exceptional writing skills cover a wide range of areas, including SOP, SEO, B2B/B2C, and academic content.

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Fact-checked by Pratiti Nath

Bachelor of Science specializing in Microbiology, Masters of Science specializing in Biotechnology

Pratiti Nath picture

Pratiti NathBachelor of Science specializing in Microbiology, Masters of Science specializing in Biotechnology

A Master's in Biotechnology from Presidency University and a Bachelor's in Microbiology from Calcutta University. Pratiti holds expertise in writing science and healthcare articles, and their inputs and feedback help writers create insightful content. They have interests in heritage, history, and climate change issues and have written articles for various websites across multiple subjects. Their experience also includes working with eco-friendly startups and climate-related NGOs.

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