New Delhi (NVI): World Day Against Child Labour is observed on June 12 every year in almost 100 countries all around the globe. This year, the focus is on the impact of Covid-19 crisis on child labour, as millions of children face the risk of being pushed into the inhuman practice due to the pandemic situation.
The day is also used to spread awareness about the mental and physical problems faced by children forced into child labour around the world.
According to a United Nations (UN) report, there are an estimated 152 million children globally who are engaged in the practice, 72 million of whom are into hazardous work.
Millions more could be forced into child labour, which could lead to the first rise in child labour after 20 years of progress, according to a new brief from the International Labour Organization (ILO) and UNICEF.
Children in the age group 5 to 17 are engaged in work that deprives them of a normal childhood, like getting adequate education, proper health care, leisure time or just basic freedom.
In 2002, the International Labour Organization (ILO), launched the World Day Against Child Labour for the first time.
COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic and labour market shock are having a huge impact on people’s lives and livelihoods. The crisis can push millions of vulnerable children into child labour, the UN said in a statement.
This year, the day’s theme is “COVID-19: Protect children from child labour, now more than ever”. The theme focuses on the need to protect children from under-age labour amid Covid-19 pandemic.
The UN body says the World Day Against Child Labour this year will see a virtual campaign due to COVID pandemic. A virtual campaign is being organized jointly with the Global March Against Child Labour and the International Partnership for Cooperation on Child Labour in Agriculture (IPCCLA).
Furthermore, ILO and UNICEF are developing a simulation model to look at the impact of COVID-19 on child labour globally.
Meanwhile, there are more than 10 million child labourers in India, according to the latest census and many are kept confined to the workplace by employers.
