PURPOSE: The International Labour Organization (ILO) launched the World Day Against Child Labour in 2002 to focus attention on the global extent of Child Laborer and the action and efforts needed to eliminate it. Each year on 12 June, the World Day brings together governments, Enterprise Manager, Employees and Workers organizations, civil society, as well as millions of people from around the world to highlight the plight of Child labourer and what can be done to help them?
FORUM: "Progress is clear, but there's more to do: let’s speed up efforts!" World Day Against Child Labour 2025. This year’s theme reflects both the progress achieved and the urgency to intensify action to meet global targets. The observance will focus on a key milestone: the release of the 2025 global estimates and trends of child labour. This ILO and UNICEF joint report will provide a comprehensive overview of where we stand in our global commitments to eliminate child labour. Although the detailed data are not yet available, the estimates and trends identified will guide policy debates and calls for renewed commitment and investment. On this World Day, we will call for full ratification of ILO Convention No. 138 on the Minimum Age and the implementation of ILO Convention No. 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour. Their effective ratification and implementation remain essential to achieving the goals set by the Durban Call to Action, which urges us to aim for strengthened prevention, protection, and partnerships to eliminate child labour. Now is the time to make the elimination of child labour a reality. The ILO works closely with governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations, civil society, and international partners to support policies and programmes that address the root causes of child labour—strengthening social protection, education systems, and decent work opportunities for adults and youth. The World Day against Child Labour is widely supported by these actors, along with UN agencies and individuals committed to building a world free of child labour. The ILO, together with its constituents and partners have called for:
Reinvigorated international action to achieve social justice, particularly under the envisaged Global Coalition for Social Justice, with child labour elimination as one of its important elements;
Universal ratification of ILO Convention No. 138 on Minimum Age, which, together with the universal ratification of ILO Convention No. 182 on Worst Forms of Child Labour achieved in 2020, would provide all children with legal protection against all forms of child labour; and the
Effective implementation of the “Durban Call to Action” to ensure universal access to social protection and to help construct a path towards a world free of child labour, as called under SDG Target 8.7, and in SDG Target 1.3.
Why and where do children work?, How did child labor change over time?; Everyone has a role to play; Let’s speed up efforts to end child labour everywhere!
Follow the conversation with the hashtags: #WDACL, #SocialJustice, #WorldChildLabourDay; #12June, #EndChildLabour.
EVENTS: On Wednesday, June 11th from 13:30 until 14:45 (Europe/Zurich) a high-level side event will be organized by the ILO during the 113th Session of the International Labour Conference. Organized on the margins of the 113th Session of the International Labour Conference, this high-level event will mark the World Day Against Child Labour 2025 with the launch of the ILO-UNICEF joint report on the latest global estimates of child labour. The event brings together ILO constituents and partners to discuss the implications of the new global estimates and trends in child labour, and the steps needed to accelerate progress. This high-level event provides an opportunity to reflect on the progress made and the urgent need for stronger action to meet global goals. On this World Day against Child Labour, the ILO calls for the full ratification of ILO Convention No. 138 on the Minimum Age and the implementation of ILO Convention No. 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour. Their effective ratification and implementation remain essential to achieving the goals set by the Durban Call to Action, which urges strengthened prevention, protection, and partnerships to eliminate child labour.Watch the high-level event!
On Thursday, June 12th from 13:30 until 14:45 (Europe/Zurich)
to observe the World Day Against Child Labour 2025, The participants will discuss the fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and celebrate the 26 years since the adoption of ILO Convention No. 182. The conference will also provides an opportunity for tripartite constituents to discuss advances and challenges in relation to the elimination of child labour with the aim to improve implementation worldwide, as well as to promote universal ratification of ILO Convention No. 138.
ACTIVITIES: Now is the time to make the elimination of child labour a reality. Check out the activities to mark the World Day taking place in your country!; Interested in training;Take a look at upcoming events, which include courses for data users and data producers.
PUBLICATIONS: Child Labour and Education: New Perspectives and Approaches.
Suggested documents to read on EMPLOYMENT -World Employment and Social Outlook: Trends 2024 and the World Employment and Social Outlook: May 2024 Update; On LABOUR UNDERUTILIZATION -The jobs gap: Measuring labour underutilisation beyond unemployment; On INFORMAL ECONOMY - Statistical Methodology Series 11 – Identification of informality through labour force surveys.
STATEMENTS: Message from the ILO Director-General on On World Day Against Child Labour 2025, June 12th.
PODCASTS : Roughly 168 million children were subjected to child labour. This accounts for nearly 1 in 10 children worldwide. Almost half of them are in hazardous work that directly endangers their health and moral development. Let’s talk about how to move Towards Universal Social Protection and achieving SDG 1.3. Listen to the audio-podcasts!
CAMPAIGN MATERIALS: We invite you and your organization to join us and add your voice to the worldwide movement against child labour. Join the international community calls to support greater social justice and step up the fight against child labour. To Eliminate child labour – greater engagement and collaboration needed. Here you will find the communication materials to promote the campaign.
WHY WE CELEBRATE THE DAY?
ACTIONS
PARTNERSHIPS
This year’s World Day Against Child Labour will be celebrated with a “Week of Action against Child Labour”, marked from 3-12 June 2022.
Gives voice to informal and marginalized workers.
Influence societal norms and behaviors to eliminate child labor.
Bring visibility to supply chains.
Give children the chance to learn, laugh, & play.
Contribute to Stop child labor in global supply chains through a market-based holistic and authentic system.
Provide quality education to rescued and vulnerable children, and deter children from entering labor.
Throughout this special week, events and activities around the world will provide an opportunity to showcase progress on the elimination of child labour.
The World Day Against Child Labour is organized by the International Labour Organization (ILO); The United Natios Chilren Fund (UNICEF); The Alliance 8.7; The Regional Initiative Latin America and the Caribbean Free of Child Labour, the International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC+). With the collaboration of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU), the International Organisation of Employers (IOE), the African Movement of Working Children and Youth, the International Cocoa Initiative, the GoodWeave International, the Concerned for Working Children (CWC), the Voice of the Free, the Amsterdam-based foundation for International Research on Working Children (IREWOC), the International Labor Rights Forum (ILRF), the Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC), Child Labour Unit and the Bureau of International Labor Affairs. With the participation of Civil Society Organizations and Non-Governmental Organizations, Policy makers, Researchers and academics.
The World Day Against Child Labour is celebrated to highlight the plight of child labourers. 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.
Guided by the principles enshrined in ILO's Minimum Age Convention No. 138 and the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention No. 182, the ILO Programme on Child Labour (IPEC) works to achieve the effective abolition of child labour.
We are facing arduous times. Progress against child labour has stagnated since 2016, where 160 million children are still in child labour. It’s time to accelerate the pace of progress. It’s time to inspire legislative and practical actions to eliminate child labour for good. It’s time to shift from commitments to action!