World Day against Child Labour puts spotlight on Harmful Effects by UNICEF / ICFTU / Anti-Slavery International 11:00am 13th Jun, 2006   June 12, 2006    World Day Against Child Labour puts spotlight on harmful effects. (UNICEF)    Today, an estimated 246 million children worldwide are engaged in some kind of labour, about 180 million of them in hazardous conditions. To focus global attention on the urgent need to eradicate this practice, the International Labour Organization (ILO) has designated 12 June as World Day Against Child Labour.    “Child labour is a widespread phenomenon all over the world,” said UNICEF’s Senior Advisor on Child Protection, Gopalan Balagopal. “I should clarify here that we do not consider all forms of work as undesirable. In fact, certain types of work can help children become more competent adults. But when work stands between a child and his or her chances for education, or affects his or her health, then we consider this a violation of the rights of children.”    In addition to being denied education, children who work are frequently victims of mistreatment, physical violence and psychological abuse. Girls are even more vulnerable, often becoming easy targets of sexual abuse by employers and co-workers.    Worst forms of child labour    “There are as many as 8.4 million children who are in what we consider the worst forms of child labour,” added Mr. Balagopal. “These are children who are employed as child soldiers or who are prostituted, subjected to sex trade or trafficked across borders. We also have children who are in a bonded labour situation very close to slavery.”    UNICEF believes that child labour not only hinders children’s well-being but also slows the world’s progress in achieving its long-term development goals. Along with partners such as the ILO, UNESCO and the World Bank, UNICEF has formed the Global Task Force on Child Labour and Education for All to promote policies, generate resources and put in place practical measures that combat child labour.    “As long as children are continuing to work, they can’t educate themselves, and as long as children continue to be paid wages that are a fraction of what adults would be paid, poverty will persist,” explained Mr. Balagopal.    “Child labour is something you can consider both a cost and a consequence of poverty, and we must address that,” he added.    12/6/2006    World Day Against Child Labour – Trade unions ready and willing to fight the good fight. (ICFTU)    On the occasion of the World Day Against Child Labour, the ICFTU is today launching a video portrait of Jonathon, a 12 year old child labourer from Peru who is one of many children benefiting from a union-sponsored program that has helped him find his way back to school.    Guy Ryder, the General Secretary of the ICFTU commented:    “Today we mark yet another World Day Against Child Labour in the shadow of the knowledge that there are some 218 million children like Jonathon whose lives are profoundly affected by the fact that instead of going to school they have to go to work.”    “The tragedy of child labour is that not only does it ruin childhoods, the physical and mental health of children, but it also locks them and their families into a tragic cycle of poverty. By missing out on school these children are almost forever denied the chance to live a better life than their parents.”    “We know what works: a quality education system and decent work for adults above all else is the only way sustainable and long-term changes can occur that will see child labour vanquished globally. These require political will and commitment from all governments and institutions, and today we reiterate the international trade union movement’s resolve to play our part,” he concluded.    The video-portrait is accompanied by two spotlight interviews with trade unionists from the Moroccan and Dutch trade unions who are responsible for an innovative program which seeks to get children out of work and into school.    7 June 2006    Joining in World Cup football fever, UN agency to wave ‘red card’ against child labour. (UN News)    With World Football Cup fever in full swing, the United Nations labour agency is preparing to wave a symbolic ‘Red Card’ against child work as part of a series of global events beginning this week to mark the World Day Against Child Labour.    “Many have said child labour will always be with us,” International Labour Organization (ILO) Director-General Juan Somavia said in a statement today. “But the global movement against child labour is proving them wrong. That is the meaning of the symbolic waving of the Red Card against child labour – it’s not just a gesture, it’s a way to highlight our struggle for the right of every child to a real childhood.”    World Cup football legend Roger Milla of Cameroon and leaders of the sports, scouting and labour worlds will speak at ceremonies in Geneva on 12 June marking the World Day and the symbolic waving of the card that signifies a referee’s expulsion of a player from the soccer field for a serious foul or other breach of football rules.    At the same time, activities ranging from television specials to nationwide discussions, marches and public awareness raising events are planned in some 100 countries under the theme, ‘The End of Child Labour: Together we can do it!’    The events highlight ILO"s global ‘Red Card to child labour’ campaign which, through the partnership with Fédération Internationale of Football Association (FIFA), the sport’s governing body, has reached millions of people around the world since its launch in 2002.    In more than 100 countries around the world, people will be reminded that at least on this one day of the year, they should reflect on the fate of working children.    You can help eliminate the worst forms of child labour. (Anti-Slavery International)    The International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention on the Worst Forms of Child Labour, No.182 received unanimous support from its members at its annual conference in June 1999. The challenge is to get all of the 177 ILO member states to ratify this key convention.    As of 12 April 2006, 17 countries have NOT ratified this crucial convention: Afghanistan, Australia, Burma, Cuba, Eritrea, Guinea-Buissau, Haiti, India, Kiribati (Republic of), Latvia, Sierra Leone, Soloman Islands, Somalia, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu.    If you live in a country which still has not ratified ILO Convention 182, then please write to the relevant government representative (usually the Minister for Labour) and urge them to ratify and implement the Convention as soon as possible. Ratification is the first essential step towards eliminating the worst forms of child labour in all countries around the world, and successful implementation is crucial for its effectiveness in protecting children from hazardous forms of labour.    Convention 182 has had the fastest rate of ratification out of any ILO convention!    Below is a sample letter you can copy and paste to send to the officials concerned:    * You can send the letter below by post or    * You can try to find an e-mail address for the Ministry of Labour and send the letter below by e-mail.    Dear Government Minister,    I am writing to express my concern at your Government"s failure to date to ratify the International Labour Organization"s Convention 182 on the worst forms of child labour, and to encourage you to take the necessary steps to ensure that ratification is undertaken as soon as possible.    Convention 182 defines the worst forms of child labour and outlines the steps that governments need to take to eliminate such forms of child labour in their countries. By failing to ratify this convention, governments are essentially endorsing the child labour that the convention seeks to eliminate.    I would ask you to give this matter your urgent attention. Visit the related web page
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