Tomorrow, 12 June is the World Day against Child Labour

Child Labour is a malaise that deprives children of their basic human rights of adequate education, health and leisure. Statistics show that about half of these children are exposed to worst forms of child labour like hazardous working environment, slavery and other forms of forced labour, illicit activities like drug trafficking and even prostitution, as well as forced involvement in armed conflict.

In the year 2002, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) launched the first World Day against Child Labour on 12th June in a bid to highlight the plight of these child labourers. The day has been effectively observed from the year of its launch as a catalyst for the worldwide movement against child labour. As a result of the concerted effort by ILO and other similar organisations many countries have ratified ILO’s conventions on the worst forms of child labour and on the minimum age of employment. The day is also observed by human rights organisations, schools, youth and women’s groups and the civil society as a whole to support the efforts of individual governments to improve the living conditions of child labourers and to put them back to schools. Education and sufficient leisure is important for children to become productive members of the society during their adult life.

Right to Education Act in India is a step towards abolishing child labour completely and to put children back to schools so that we can completely utilise the abilities of our younger generation in nation building. It is our moral responsibility to make all efforts possible to eliminate child labour from our nation and from the world so that we make a generation of talented people who will change the face of the world for the better.

Source: Official website of International Labour Organisation (ILO)