Outlook Web Desk
Every June 12, the International Labour Organisation joins forces with other stakeholders around the world to commemorate the World Day Against Child Labour.
The theme for this year's World Day Against Child Labour is 'Let’s act on our commitments: End Child Labour!'
This year's World Day is focusing on celebrating the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention by the International Labor Organisation (ILO)
Since 2000, for nearly two decades, the world had been making steady progress in reducing child labour
However, as per UN data, over the past few years, conflicts, crises and the Covid-19 pandemic, have plunged more families into poverty – and forced millions more children into child labour
Africa ranks highest among regions both in the percentage of children in child labour — one-fifth — and the absolute number of children in child labour — 72 million, UN says
The Africa and the Asia and the Pacific regions together account for almost nine out of every ten children in child labour worldwide, according to UN
The remaining child labour population is divided among the Americas (11 million), Europe and Central Asia (6 million), and the Arab States (1 million)
Child labour is defined as any work that is inappropriate for a child’s age, physical, or mental capacity, and its far-reaching consequences can have devastating effects on their development and future