Social Justice for All. End Child Labour!
The World Day Against Child Labour was created by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in 2002. Its purpose is to bring ongoing attention to the problem of child labour and continuously improve our efforts to eliminate it. This important day has been observed annually on June 12th each year since 2022.
On behalf of the team at Rozanaupdates, we extend our heartfelt wishes on World Child Labour Day. Today, let us unite in our commitment to protecting and empowering children worldwide. May this day serve as a reminder of the urgent need to eradicate child labour and ensure every child’s right to a safe and nurturing childhood. Our wishes are dedicated to the millions of children affected by child labour. May they find solace, support, and opportunities for education and personal growth. Let us amplify their voices and advocate for stronger policies and actions that safeguard their rights.
World Child Labour Day, also known as the International Day against Child Labour, is a significant observance held annually on June 12th. This day serves as a powerful platform to raise global awareness about the challenging circumstances faced by child laborers around the world.
The primary objective of World Child Labour Day is to draw attention to the social and economic issues connected to child labor and to promote concerted efforts to eliminate this pervasive problem. The International Labour Organization (ILO), a specialized agency of the United Nations, established this day to emphasize the critical importance of safeguarding children’s rights and nurturing their overall well-being.
Despite progress made since 2000, child labour remains a significant issue worldwide. Recent years, including conflicts, crises, and the COVID-19 pandemic, have increased poverty and pushed millions more children into child labour. Economic growth hasn’t sufficiently alleviated the pressure on families, leading them to resort to child labour. Currently, there are 160 million children involved in child labour, accounting for almost one in ten children globally.
This situation highlights the inadequate response to the challenges faced in the world of work. The gap between commitments and achievements has weakened efforts and, at times, resulted in disengagement. It’s now more important than ever for all of us to contribute to finding effective and coherent solutions to address daily problems.
Child labour is a prominent issue caused by and perpetuating poverty and exclusion. It deprives children of education and opportunities, hindering their future prospects for a decent income and stable employment.
Child labor encompasses any form of work that deprives children of their rightful childhood, disrupts their access to regular education, and inflicts mental, physical, social, or moral harm upon them. Sadly, this issue remains prevalent in various parts of the world, where millions of children are subjected to exploitative and hazardous working conditions.
During World Child Labour Day, numerous organizations, governments, and civil society groups come together to organize impactful events, campaigns, and awareness-raising activities. These initiatives are designed to shed light on the plight of child laborers and to foster the following objectives:
- Raising awareness: World Child Labour Day strives to shed light on the prevalence and dire consequences of child labor, aiming to sensitize individuals, communities, and governments to take proactive measures against it.
- Advocating for change: This day serves as a crucial opportunity for advocates and organizations to actively lobby for policy changes, improved legislation, and increased allocation of resources to combat child labor effectively.
- Promoting education: Education plays a pivotal role in preventing child labor and providing children with brighter prospects. World Child Labour Day advocates for universal access to quality education for all children and supports policies that ensure they can attend school, escaping the clutches of forced labor.
- Supporting initiatives: World Child Labour Day encourages support for initiatives that strive to eradicate child labor, such as awareness campaigns, vocational training programs for adults, and social protection measures for vulnerable families.
Constitution of India on child labour
The issue of child labor is addressed in the Constitution of India through various provisions and legislations aimed at protecting the rights of children. The Indian Constitution recognizes the fundamental rights of children and includes specific provisions to prohibit and eradicate child labor.
- Article 24: This article of the Indian Constitution prohibits the employment of children below the age of 14 years in any hazardous occupations or factories. It ensures that children are not engaged in work that is detrimental to their health and well-being.
- Article 39(e) and (f): These articles emphasize that the state shall direct its policies towards ensuring that children are given opportunities and facilities to develop in a healthy manner and are protected from exploitation.
- Article 45: This article pertains to the Directive Principles of State Policy, which states that the state shall endeavor to provide free and compulsory education for children up to the age of 14 years.
Apart from the constitutional provisions, India has enacted several laws and regulations to address child labor:
- The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986: This legislation is the primary law governing child labor in India. It prohibits the employment of children below the age of 14 years in hazardous occupations and processes. It also regulates the working conditions and hours of work for adolescents between the ages of 14 and 18 years.
- The Right to Education Act (RTE), 2009: The RTE Act mandates free and compulsory education for all children aged 6 to 14 years. It aims to ensure that children have access to quality education and are not engaged in labor that hampers their educational opportunities.
- Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015: This law focuses on the care, protection, and rehabilitation of children in need of care and protection, including child laborers. It provides for the establishment of special courts to handle cases related to child labor and sets guidelines for the proper implementation of child protection measures.
It is essential to acknowledge that progress has been made in recent years to address child labor, but the issue persists in many parts of the world. Eradicating child labor necessitates collective action from governments, organizations, communities, and individuals alike to forge a safer and more equitable world for children, where their rights are protected, and their well-being is nurtured.
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