• International Days
• International Day Against Child Labor

On June 12th, which is observed as World Day Against Child Labour, the aim is to actively support and encourage the global movement against child labour. This year, on June 12, 2023, we are urging for the following actions:

• Stronger international efforts to promote social justice, with a specific focus on the proposed Global Coalition for Social Justice, which includes the elimination of child labour as a crucial component.
• The widespread adoption of ILO Convention No. 138 on Minimum Age by all nations. Together with the universal adoption of ILO Convention No. 182 on Worst Forms of Child Labour, achieved in 2020, this would ensure legal protection for all children, safeguarding them against all forms of child labour.

In summary, for this World Day Against Child Labour, we call for increased global commitment to social justice, with a specific emphasis on eliminating child labour, and we urge all nations to universally ratify both ILO Convention No. 138 on Minimum Age and ILO Convention No. 182 on Worst Forms of Child Labour, in order to provide legal protection for children worldwide.

Since the year 2000, the world has made steady progress in reducing child labor over a span of almost two decades. However, recent conflicts, crises, and the COVID-19 pandemic have pushed more families into poverty, resulting in millions of additional children being forced into child labor. Despite some economic growth, it has not been sufficient or inclusive enough to alleviate the pressures faced by many families and communities, leading them to resort to child labor. Currently, there are approximately 160 million children worldwide engaged in child labor, which equates to nearly one in ten children globally.

Among regions, Africa has the highest percentage of children involved in child labor, with one-fifth of all children in this situation, and it also has the highest absolute number of children engaged in child labor, totaling 72 million. Asia and the Pacific rank second highest in both measures, with 7% of all children and 62 million children in child labor within this region.

Combined, Africa and Asia and the Pacific account for almost 90% of the total number of children in child labor worldwide. The remaining child labor population is distributed among the Americas (11 million children), Europe and Central Asia (6 million children), and the Arab States (1 million children). Incidence-wise, 5% of children in the Americas, 4% in Europe and Central Asia, and 3% in the Arab States are involved in child labor.

Although the percentage of children in child labor is highest in low-income countries, the actual numbers are greater in middle-income countries. In lower-middle-income countries, 9% of all children are engaged in child labor, while in upper-middle-income countries, this figure stands at 7%. When considering the absolute number of children in child labor within each income grouping, it is evident that 84 million children in child labor, comprising 56% of the total, reside in middle-income countries. An additional 2 million children are found in high-income countries.