What is World Day Against Child Labour?

Around the world, nearly 1 in 10 children are subjected to child labour every day, with some of these children being as young as 5 years old. The impact of COVID-19 has only increased these numbers, with an additional 9 million children now at risk – on top the 160 million children estimated to already be in child labour at the beginning of 2020.

With the numbers of children engaged in child labour worldwide increasing, it’s now more important that ever to raise awareness of this issue and to provide support to those countries where children are most vulnerable.

When is World Day Against Child Labour?

World Day Against Child Labour is on Sunday 12th June 2022.

What is World Day Against Child Labour?

Around the world, many children participate in daily labour. While some of this work is paid labour, for other children their efforts go unpaid. Work becomes child labour when the child that is employed is either too young to work, or the activities involved are detrimental to the child’s development and wellbeing. The problem of child labour only intensifies for children living in settings of humanitarian crisis, where it is far less likely for robust child protection policies and systems to be in place.

Domestic work such as being a nanny, caregiver, or housekeeper is the most typical form of child labour for girls. Work of this nature can unfortunately put girls at increased risk of domestic violence and child marriage, with limited access to support. One of the biggest consequences of child labour beyond the immediate physical danger, is that children are not able to attend school. This lack of educational opportunities means that the child will always have a life of low-paid manual labour, therefore perpetuating  the cycle of multigenerational poverty.

In many countries, workers’ rights, in general, are also not protected. This leads to poor economic conditions and low wages that necessitate sending children out to work alongside the adults, in order to supplement household income. Child labour puts these children at risk of physical harm, poisoning, economic and sexual exploitation, human trafficking, and even slavery.

World Day Against Child Labour highlights the need for children to be protected from the hazardous conditions of child labour, and the negative impact that this has on their early development. While child labour has decreased by 38% over the last decade as a whole, much more needs to be done with numbers now increasing in the context of COVID-19.

Why is World Day Against Child Labour held?

The International Labour Organization (ILO) launched the World Day Against Child Labour in 2002. Since then, the day has focussed attention on the prevalence of child labour throughout the world and on the action and efforts that are essential for it’s elimination.

The day is intended to serve as a catalyst for the growing worldwide movement against child labour, reflected in the large number of ramifications on the worst forms of child labour and the minimum age of employment.

The World Day Against Child Labour provides the opportunity to gain further support from individual governments in the countries most impacted, general society and the media in the fight to eliminate child labour worldwide.

What is the theme of World Day Against Child Labour 2022?

The theme for World Day Against Child Labour 2022 is “Universal Social Protection to End Child Labour”. To end child labour worldwide, we need more investment in universal social protection systems and an integrated and comprehensive approach to combatting this problem. 

That’s why this year’s theme focusses on just that – increasing investment in social protection systems and schemes, to establish social protection floors and protect children from child labour. Currently, nearly three-quarters of children internationally lack even one type of social protection – a vital layer of support to prevent families from resorting to child labour.

How can I support World Day Against Child Labour 2022?

There are several ways that you can provide support during this year’s World Day Against Child Labour:

Donate monthly

You can make a difference to children affected by child labour, by supporting their families through a monthly donation. Over the course of a year, you can empower up to 1,000 children to have a better life by shifting the forces that keep them in poverty. Month by month you’ll help to create change that you can see. Sign up now to provide a monthly donation now.

Create a Facebook fundraiser

Did you know that you can create a fundraiser on Facebook for ChildFund Australia? By setting up your own fundraiser, you can invite family and friends to donate to the Afghanistan Food Crisis Appeal or the Ukraine Emergency Appeal. Help support the World Day Against Child Labour by setting up your ChildFund Facebook fundraiser now.

Host a morning tea

This 12th of June, take some time to talk about the World Day Against Child Labour with your co-workers by setting up a morning tea fundraiser in your office or organisation. A staff member gold coin donation could be suggested, with the proceeds going to one of our current appeals to support children and families facing humanitarian crisis.

Together we can empower families and governments all over the world to speak out against child labour, and to implement the social protection policies needed to protect those most vulnerable.