World Day Against Child Labour 2025: Date, theme, quotes, significance — all you need to know

Indian Express

12-06-2025

World Day Against Child Labour: World Day Against Child Labour is a global observance marked on June 12 every year, serving as a crucial reminder to build a world free of child labour, where children worldwide are not forced into work at the expense of their education and well-being.
Child labour can be defined as any work that is unconstitutional for a child's age by physical or mental abilities.
In India, its constitution explicitly prohibits minors under the age of 14 from working in mines, factories, or dangerous occupations.
Similarly, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) defines a child, under the age of 18, as someone who should not engage in hazardous work.
In 2024, nearly 138 million children were engaged in child labour.
Though progress has been made since 2020, millions are still being denied their right to learn, play and and simply be children.
UNICEF and @ilo are urging governments to take action.https://t.co/9D0Gxb7wGY pic.twitter.com/KG8h9jSYjG
— UNICEF (@UNICEF) June 11, 2025
Falling on Thursday, June 12, 2025, this year marks the 26th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Worst Forms of Child Labour.
It provides an opportunity for stakeholders to strengthen the implementation of the main conventions on child labour: Convention No. 182 and Convention No. 138 on the Minimum Age for Admission to Employment or Work.
However, despite advancements to eliminate child labour, UNICEF highlights that it continues to impact nearly 138 million children worldwide, with 54 million of these engaged in hazardous work.
This is why the 2025 observance will be marked under the theme, 'Progress is clear, but there's more to do: let's speed up efforts!' with this year's theme highlighting both the progress made and the imperative of increasing efforts to fulfil global commitments.
The significance behind the World Day Against Child Labour lies in its capacity to promote and strengthen the worldwide appeal to eliminate child labour.
While child labour remains one of the most provoking human rights issues today, denying millions of children worldwide their right to education, health, and fundamental freedom, here are some quotes to share to spread awareness and advocate for a world free of child labour.
Children should have pens in their hands, not tools. – Kailash Satyarthi
Every child deserves a childhood free from exploitation and abuse. – Malala Yousafzai
The only way to end child labour is to ensure that all children have access to education and opportunities. – ILO Director-General
Child labour perpetuates poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, population growth, and other social problems. – Kailash Satyarthi
There is no justification for child labour. The child is the future of our nation. Let us allow him to develop physically, mentally, and morally. – Mahatma Gandhi
There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than how it treats its children. – Nelson Mandela