June 12: World Day against Child Labour

Every year, the World Day against Child Labour is celebrated on June 12. It was launched by the International Labour Organization, a United Nations body. The World Day against Child Labour was launched in 2002.

Highlights

• The Children in the age group of 5 to 17 years engaged in work deprives them of normal childhood, proper health care, adequate education, leisure time and basic freedom. 
• The very purpose of marking World Day against Child Labour is this.
• The day also aims to bring the problem of child labour to the attention of the people all over the world. 
• The child labour is often associated with prostitution and drug trafficking.

2020

• This year the ILO is conducting the World Day against Child Labour as virtual campaign and is organized by Global March against Child Labour and International Partnership for Cooperation on Child Labour in Agriculture.

Background

• Nine out of ten children involved in labour works are in Asia, Africa and Pacific. 
• The percentage of Child labour is the highest in low-income countries. 
• According to the International Labour Organization, Africa has the largest child labours in the world. 
• It accounts to one-fifth of child labour in the world.

COVID-19 crisis

• The child labour issue is to increase during the COVID-19 crisis. 
• This is mainly because, children are out of school and are more likely to engage in harmful works. 
• The Child helpline International says that one-third of the global population have been affected due to COVID-19 crisis and 1.5 billion children have been impacted.