Say no to child labour
ACCORDING to International Labour Organization (ILO), around 168 million children remain trapped in child labour today, many of them work full-time. They are deprived from enjoying their rights to education, health and indeed to surf through the happy moments of childhood. More than half of them are exposed to the worst forms of child labour such as 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.
In 2002, the ILO launched the World Day Against Child Labour with an aim to focus attention on the global extent of child labour and the action and efforts needed to eliminate it. Each year on 12 June, the World Day brings together governments, employers and workers organizations, civil society, as well as millions of people from around the world to highlight the plight of child labourers and what can be done to help them.
The theme of this year's World Day Against Child Labour is titled as "In conflicts and disasters, protect children from child labour". As many countries are now affected by war, conflict and disaster, the 2017 World Day Against Child Labour focuses on the impact of conflicts and disasters on child labour.
The ILO advocates for an urgent global action to tackle child labour in areas affected by conflict and disaster. The SDG Target 8.7 aims to “eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour”. This target is to be achieved by 2030. In doing so, the global community needs to launch an all-concerted action to intensify and accelerate action to end child labour, including in areas affected by conflict and disasters.
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