World Day against Child Labour 2020: Significance and Importance

Every year June 12 is observed as  World Day Against Child Labour across 100 countries in the globe. The day is highlighted to mark awareness against the social evil of promoting and hiring children for work. The significance of the day is such that it is related to the prevention of engaging children in any sort of labour during their childhood days. In India children between the age gap of  5 to 17 from the weaker section of the society are often exposed to harmful and dangerous work surroundings.  On the World Day Against Child Labour, the International Labour Organisation mainly focuses on the right to protection of education for children in the world irrespective of their economic status, race, and caste.

In the year 2002,  "World Day Against Child Labour" was declared by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) of the United Nations. This day was announced so that people across the world should draw focus on the atrocities practised on children across the globe. On the occasion of World Day Against Child Labour, various campaigns, events, quizzes, and seminars are conducted all over the world to create more and more awareness about Child Labour. 

The COVID-19 health 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.  This year, the World Day is conducted as a virtual campaign and is being organized jointly with the Global March Against Child Labour and the International Partnership for Cooperation on Child Labour in Agriculture (IPCCLA) . ILO and UNICEF are developing a simulation model to look at the impact of COVID-19 on child labour globally.