world day against child labour june 12 2008 international labour organization

World Day Against Child Labour

June 12 2008

INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION

Aims of the Day

To raise global awareness of the child labour problem

To highlight the importance of expanding access to education as a key strategy in tackling child labour

Links with ILO Conventions

ILO Convention 138 on minimum age of employment “The minimum age ..shall be not less than the age of completion of compulsory schooling” (usually 15, 14 in certain circumstances)

ILO Convention 182 on Worst Forms of Child Labour “Each member shall… take effective and time-bound measures to... ensure access to free basic education, and, wherever possible and appropriate vocational training, for all childrenremoved from the worst formsof child labour”

Child labour a barrier to education

165 million children between 5-14 involved in child labour (ILO estimates)

More than 70 million primary school aged children not enrolled in school (UNESCO EFA Global Monitoring Report)

Globally, less than half secondary school age children attend school (UNICEF estimates)

Child labour A barrier to development targets set in the MDGs

MDG 2 – By 2015 all boys and girls complete a full course of primary school

MDG 3 - Gender parity in education MDG report 2006 “High rates of

poverty…limit educational opportunities because of demands for children’s labour…”

Education for All Fast Track Initiative report 2007 “..child labour is a severe obstacle to EFA in many countries”

Important steps in reaching the hard-to-reach children. . .

Free and compulsory education

No barriers to girls’ education Access to school Safe, quality learning

environment Catch-up education for out of

school children Trained teaching force

. . . Important steps in reaching the hard-to-reach children

Child labour and education laws: need coherence, enforcement & compliance with international standards

Promoting public awareness on child labour & education

Policies to tackle poverty and provide decent work for adults

Educate children – reduce child labour

What has worked?

Strengthening public education system

Linking school attendance with feeding programmes

Cash transfer programmes to poor families that promote school attendance

Special focus on girls Improving quality of education Skills straining for vulnerable youth

On June 12 we call for:

Education for all to the minimum ageof employment

Education policies that reach out to child labourers and other excluded groups

Education policies providing properly resourced education and skills training

Education for children - decent work for adults

Join the worldwide movement against child labour

Governments Employers Trade unions Civil society

For more information contact ipec@ilo.org