Red Card to Child Labour

  1. 160 million children – the equivalent of almost 1 in 10 children – are in child labour. 79 million of these children are in hazardous work which is likely to harm their health, safety or morals. This is unacceptable.

    The ILO uses the symbol of the Red Card to raise awareness about child labour and rallying support for action to combat it, reaching out to new audiences through the powerful means of football. Football is not only the world’s most popular sport which mobilises entire countries and continents, but also favours principles which the ILO seeks to promote, such as inclusivity and non-discrimination, and reaches out to all regardless of race, gender, religion and level of ability.

    The pinwheel featured on the Red Card has become the symbol of the fight against child labour. The five blades of the pinwheel represent the different continents of the world and the wind that makes the pinwheel spin is the will to act and to pass on the message until all countries take adequate measures to end child labour.

    The Red Card is widely used around the world, in particular in raising awareness around the World Day Against Child Labour on 12 June. High-profile personalities and artists have shown their support by holding up the “Red Card to Child Labour.”

Resources

  1. Red Card to child labour

    Download and print the Red Card to Child Labour! Available in English, French, Spanish and other languages.

  2. Football resource kit

    This resource kit is made up of a series of modules to assist implementing partners and individuals in using football to support the rehabilitation and education of former children in child labour, to prevent at-risk children from falling into situations of child labour, and to help other vulnerable children.

Related campaigns

  1. World Day Against Child Labour - 12 June

    The International Labour Organization (ILO) launched the first World Day Against Child Labour in 2002 as a way to highlight the plight of working children. Observed on June 12th, the day is intended to serve as a catalyst for the growing worldwide movement against child labour.

  2. SCREAM: Supporting Children's Rights through Education, the Arts and the Media

    SCREAM is an education and social mobilization initiative, to help educators worldwide promote understanding and awareness of child labour among young people.

  3. "Music against Child Labour" Initiative

    The ILO's International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC), in partnership with an array of renowned conductors, musicians, musicians’ organisations and music education bodies, launches its “Music against Child Labour” Initiative in June 2013.

  4. Artworks

    Artworks is the artists engagement programme of the ILO. The programme brings together artists to raise awareness, promote fundamental rights and advocate for social change on world of work issues.