Children shouldn’t work in fields, but on dreams!

World Day Against Child Labour - 12 June 2019

In 2019, the International Labour Organization is celebrating 100 years of advancing social justice and promoting decent work.

Yet today, 152 million children are still in child labour. Child labour occurs in almost all sectors, yet 7 out of every 10 of these children are working in agriculture.

On this World Day Against Child Labour will look back on progress achieved over a 100 years of ILO support to countries on tackling child labour. We will also look forward towards the UN Sustainable Development Goal Target 8.7 set by the international community calling for an end to child labour in all its forms by 2025.

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World Day 2019 Highlights

  1. Interview

    Fighting child labour: An interview with children's rights trainer Molly Namirembe

    Molly Namirembe, a youth advocate from Uganda and SCREAM (Supporting Children’s Rights through Education, the Arts and the Media) trainer, participated in the ILO Forum on the World Day Against Child Labour and explain us about her contribution to the fight against child labour.

  2. Interview

    Fighting child labour: An interview with youth advocates Ms Lina N. Alvarado Riaño and Ms Marah Khalil

    To mark World Day Against Child Labour 2019, the ILO ran a thematic forum on child labour at the 108th International Labour Conference. Ms Lina N. Alvarado Riaño and Ms Marah Khalil, youth advocates from Colombia and Jordan participated in the forum, and spoke to ILO TV about her contribution to the fight against child labour.

  3. Virtual reality experience

    Dreams of Gold: The Virtual Reality Experience

    Ghana is the largest producer of gold in western Africa. Its mines provide local families with the a meagre income extracted under dangerous working conditions. “Dreams of Gold” follows the stories of three children rescued from one of the most hazardous forms of child labour, mining for gold.

  4. Slideshow

    World Day Against Child Labour 2019 - Thematic Forum during the 108th (Centenary) Session of the ILC

Statements

  1. "How we treat our children is a reflection of our societies and values"

    In a statement released for World Day Against Child Labour, ILO Director-General Guy Ryder urges Governments, workers and employers to make a final push to end child labour.

  2. © European Commission

    Video message

    European Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development video message on the World Day Against Child Labour 2019

    Commissioner Mr. Neven Mimica speaks of child labour on the occasion of World day against child labour.

  3. Video message

    FAO Director-General video message for the World Day Against Child Labour 2019

  4. Joint Statement by the High Representative and the European Commission on the occasion of the World Day against Child Labour

  5. "Immediate action needed to address pervasive child labour in agriculture", Global March Against Child Labour

  6. Video message

    Rita Ora Calls to end child labour

    Singer Rita Ora talks about doing more to end child labour as our world of work continues to change, and wishes the International Labour Organization on its 100th anniversary.

Thematic Forum: TOGETHER for a brighter future without child labour

World Day 2019 Videos

  1. What did you dream of becoming when you were a child?

  2. 'Til everyone can see (Hindi version)

  3. World Day Against Child Labour sheds light on working children in Jordan’s agricultural sector

  4. Children should work on their dreams, not on fields !

ILO labour standards on child labour

Minimum age for admission to employment
  1. ILO Convention No. 138
    Ratifications
  2. Recommendation No. 146
Worst forms of child labour
  1. ILO Convention No. 182 on the worst forms of child labour
    Ratifications
  2. Recommandation No. 190