Advancing social justice, promoting decent work
ILO is a specialized agency of the United Nations
English
Webinar
High-level Dialogue for Action on child labour
The European Commission, ILO and UNICEF invite you to a High-level Dialogue for Action on Child Labour. The event will be part of a Week of action to mark the World Day against child labour.
The number of children in child labour has risen to 160 million worldwide with millions of children at risk due to the impacts of COVID-19, according to a new report by the ILO and UNICEF. The report Child Labour: Global estimates 2020, trends and the road forward warns that progress to end child labour has stalled for the first time in 20 years, reversing the previous downward trend that saw child labour fall.
The High-level Dialogue will bring together key actors, who will discuss best practices in the elimination of child labour, both within the European Union (EU) and in partner countries. The event will provide an opportunity for countries, the EU, United Nations entities and social partners to reflect on the root causes of child labour, a complex phenomenon now incremented by the socio-economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The speakers will explore strategies to address child labour, taking a holistic and systemic approach.
Simultaneous interpretation in English and French will be provided.
Moderator: Ms Shada Islam, EU Commentator and analyst
Opening remarks by Ms Jutta Urpilainen, EU Commissioner for International Partnerships
Presentation of the new Global Estimates on Child Labour by Mr Moussa Oumarou, ILO Deputy Director-General for Field Operations and Partnerships, and Ms Charlotte Petri Gornitzka, Assistant Secretary General and UNICEF Deputy Executive Director for Partnerships
Speakers:
Ms Ndusi Ntembe, Minister of Employment, Labour and Social welfare of the Democratic Republic of Congo
Ms Arantxa González Laya, Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of Spain (video message)
14.30-14.40 – Intermezzo
Testimony by Mr Kinsu Kumar, Youth advocate formerly in child labour, from India Testimony by Hanif, a boy who was engaged in child labour, from Bangladesh (video message)
14.40-15.20 – Panel discussion: What should we do to accelerate progress against child labour in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis?
Panellists:
Ms Erica Gerretsen, Acting Director Sustainable Finance, Investment and Jobs; Economy that works for the People, at the Directorate-General for International Partnerships of the European Commission
Ms Heidi Hautala, Vice President of the European Parliament, Member of the Committee on International Trade and the Subcommittee on Human Rights
Mr Matthias Thorns, Deputy Secretary-General of the International Organisation of Employers (IOE)
Mr Owen Tudor, Deputy General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)
15.20-15.30 – Closing segment
Video of the winners of the Music against child labour competition, an initiative supported by the CLEAR Cotton project, which is co-funded by the European Commission and implemented by the ILO in collaboration with FAO.
