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Writes Marlvin Ngiza
The United Nations (UN) has called for reinvigorated international action to achieve social justice for children amid worrisome statistics of child labour globally.
According to the UN official statistics, 160 million children are in child labour with Africa constituting 72 million, the highest percentage of children in child labour globally.
This surge was attributed to conflicts, crises and the COVID-19 pandemic which have plunged more families into poverty and hence forced more children into child labour.
In its declaration, the UN has implored universal ratification of ILO Convention No.138 on Minimum Age and the ILO Convention No.182 on Worst Forms of Child Labour for legal protection of children against all forms of child labour.
“This World Day Against Child Labour, June 12, 2023, we are calling for reinvigorated international action to achieve social justice, particularly under the envisaged Global Coalition for Social Justice, with child labour elimination as one of its important elements. The universal ratification of ILO Convention No. 138 on Minimum Age, which, together with the universal ratification of ILO Convention No. 182 on Worst Forms of Child Labour achieved in 2020, would provide all children with legal protection against all forms of child labour and the effective implementation of the Durban Call to Action.
“Our joint experience in tackling child labour over the course of the last three decades has demonstrated that child labour can be eliminated if the root causes are addressed. More than ever, it is urgent for all of us to contribute to bringing solutions to people’s daily problems, and child labour is – possibly – the most visible of these problems. We, therefore, consider the 2023 World Day Against Child Labour to be a moment for all of us who are committed to ending child labour to demonstrate that change can be achieved when will and determination come together and provide momentum for efforts to be accelerated in a situation of great urgency.
“Today, 160 million children are still engaged in child labour which is almost one in ten children worldwide. Africa ranks highest among regions both in the percentage of children in child labour — one-fifth — and the absolute number of children in child labour — 72 million. Asia and the Pacific rank second highest in both these measures — 7% of all children and 62 million in absolute terms are in child labour in this region,” said the UN.
The International Labour Organisation, the initiator of the global day is going to host the 111th session of the International Labour Conference to mark this year’s World Day Against Child Labour commemorations.
The UN further revealed that although the percentage of children in child labour was highest in low-income countries, their numbers were actually greater in middle-income countries.
“Africa and Asia Pacific regions together account for almost nine out of every ten children in child labour worldwide. The remaining child labour population is divided among the Americas (11 million), Europe and Central Asia (6 million), and the Arab States (1 million). In terms of incidence, 5% of children are in child labour in the Americas, 4% in Europe and Central Asia, and 3% in the Arab States.
While the percentage of children in child labour is highest in low-income countries, their numbers are actually greater in middle-income countries. 9% of all children in lower-middle-income countries, and 7% of all children in upper-middle-income countries, are in child labour. Statistics on the absolute number of children in child labour in each national income grouping indicate that 84 million children in child labour, accounting for 56% of all those in child labour, actually live in middle-income countries, and an additional 2 million live in high-income countries,” added UN.
The World Day Against Child Labour is observed annually on 12 June and was launched in 2002 by the International Labour Organisation as a way to highlight the plight of children engaged in child labour.
This year’s commemorations are anchored on the theme “Social Justice for All. End Child Labour!”.
Forms of Child labour include drug trafficking, military recruitment,sex work and child pornography.