World Day Against Child Labour: Theme, Significance & History

 

World Day Against Child Labour 

(World Day Against Child Labour: Theme, Significance and History)

Every year 12 June is commemorated as World Child Labour Prohibition Day across the world. There is a saying in Indian culture that children are the form of God, but there are millions of such children in the world, who are working in this age of their studies, carrying burdens, doing risky jobs. So that he and his family can earn meals for two times. Most of the children are forced into labour. They are not allowed to go to school. Their childhood is snatched away.  

The purpose of celebrating World Child Labour Prohibition Day is to make people aware of the education of children below 14 years of age by not making them work.

Even though all the countries of the world are progressing in the field of development rapidly, but child labour is still one of the most important issues. World Day Against Child Labour is observed every year on 12 June to spread awareness about child labour and violence against children. The main reason for child labour is said to be poverty, social insecurity and lack of education system in rural areas.

 

World Day Against Child Labour Theme 2021:

This year's World Day Against Child Labour focuses on actions taken for the 2021 International Year for the Elimination of Child Labour. It is the first World Day since the universal ratification of the ILO's Convention.

Theme 2021: “Act now: end child labour”

The World Day Against Child Labour 2022:

The theme was "Universal Social Protection to End Child Labour". This theme was announced by the International Labour Organization for the year 2022. This theme aimed at demanding universal social protection from appropriate organizations for children.

The Theme for World Day Against Child Labour 2023:

The Theme is 'Social Justice for All. End Child Labour! '.

 

Significance of World Day Against Child Labour:

This day is celebrated to eradicate child labour globally, every year millions of children are forced to work. That is why, this day is celebrated to make people aware about the problem of child labour and to help them. Children working below 14 years are called child labourers because they are too young to do work and earn money as it affects their mental and social development.

World Child Labour Prohibition Day has far-reaching consequences on everyone. The visible reasons of child labour are- Lack of access to proper education, poverty, ugly predicament push millions of children towards child labour. According to a survey, the number of child labourers working in the crop fields is now increasing faster towards the urban sector as compared to other sectors. This means that children are now being forced to work in urban areas instead of in the fields. If we look at the statistics of child labour, there are about 10.1 million child labourers working in India.

 

How this Day is Celebrated?

On this day, programmes are organized to raise awareness against child labour and violence against children. People are made aware about the rights, laws and rules of children. Along with this, this day throws light on various aspects like proper education of children, normal childhood, and complete safety of children in homes.

In fact, all the projects related to the control of child labour and the interest of working children are being run by the central government whose main objective is to remove child labourers from wages and improve their future. Under this project, more than 50 thousand children have been liberated from child labour between 2017 and 2018.

 

History of World Day Against Child Labour:

The International Labour Organization (ILO) of the United Nations recognised 2002 as "World Day Against Child Labour." This day was established so that people all around the world would be reminded of the horrors committed against children around the world. It was marked to raise awareness that employing a child for work is both illegal and morally wrong.

 

Child Labour is a Crime:

Many laws have been made in the interest of children, according to which it is illegal to give work to children below the age of 14 years or to make them work. Doing so falls under the category of crime, which means that the person guilty of violating this law can be arrested without warrant. Apart from this, if any person gets a child below 14 years of age to work or gets a child of 14-18 years old to indulge in any dangerous business, then he can be punished with imprisonment from 6 months to 2 years. Along with this, a fine of 20 to 50 thousand rupees can also be imposed.

Also Read: World Kindness Day (13th November)