World Day Against Child Labour 2025: Date, theme, quotes, significance — all you need to know
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
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Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Rally to curb child labour held in Dhanbad
Dhanbad : Marking the World Day Against Child Labour, a rally and awareness campaign was organised on Thursday in the colliery areas of Dhanbad to highlight the need to eradicate child labour and protect the rights of children. The event, held in Jharia and extending to various parts of the town, witnessed the participation of social workers, teachers, coal workers, and even former child labourers. The rally, initiated from Jharia, passed through several coal-rich zones, drawing attention to the widespread practice of child labour in the region. Participants raised slogans and held placards demanding strict action and public cooperation to end child labour. The march aimed to sensitise local communities and families about the value of education and the dangers of involving children in hazardous work. Pinaki Roy, one of the organisers, highlighted the grim reality in the coal belt. "It is extremely difficult to curb child labour in this area, as parents themselves often push children into it. Some even take them into open coal mines for cutting and collecting coal," he said, calling the situation ironic and tragic. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo At Lodna, a major stop in the rally, the organisers distributed books, notebooks, and pens to children present at the site. Encouraged by the gesture, many children joined the rally holding cut-outs with slogans opposing child labour. "We distribute stationery to inspire children to pursue education and stay away from child labour," said Suman Kumar, a teacher and volunteer at the event. The campaign concluded with a strong appeal to the community and local administration to come together and take effective steps towards eliminating child labour and ensuring a safer, brighter future for every child. Dhanbad: Marking the World Day Against Child Labour, a rally and awareness campaign was organised on Thursday in the colliery areas of Dhanbad to highlight the need to eradicate child labour and protect the rights of children. The event, held in Jharia and extending to various parts of the town, witnessed the participation of social workers, teachers, coal workers, and even former child labourers. The rally, initiated from Jharia, passed through several coal-rich zones, drawing attention to the widespread practice of child labour in the region. Participants raised slogans and held placards demanding strict action and public cooperation to end child labour. The march aimed to sensitise local communities and families about the value of education and the dangers of involving children in hazardous work. Pinaki Roy, one of the organisers, highlighted the grim reality in the coal belt. "It is extremely difficult to curb child labour in this area, as parents themselves often push children into it. Some even take them into open coal mines for cutting and collecting coal," he said, calling the situation ironic and tragic. At Lodna, a major stop in the rally, the organisers distributed books, notebooks, and pens to children present at the site. Encouraged by the gesture, many children joined the rally holding cut-outs with slogans opposing child labour. "We distribute stationery to inspire children to pursue education and stay away from child labour," said Suman Kumar, a teacher and volunteer at the event. The campaign concluded with a strong appeal to the community and local administration to come together and take effective steps towards eliminating child labour and ensuring a safer, brighter future for every child. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
‘70% of child labourers back to work in NTR, Krishna dists'
1 2 Vijayawada: A recent study by NGO Vasavya Mahila Mandali (VMM) has revealed that nearly 70% of child labourers rescued in the Krishna and NTR districts have returned to work, pointing to weak rehabilitation systems and lack of consistent follow-up. The study, released ahead of World Day Against Child Labour (June 12), tracked the progress of 291 child labourers rescued in the last two years by VMM in collaboration with the labour department. Many were from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, working on the streets of Vijayawada, while others hailed from surrounding villages. While the children were initially re-admitted to schools, the study found that most parents quietly sent them back to work, often in different locations, to avoid govt scrutiny. "We are seeing a pattern where children rescued and reintegrated into education are silently being re-employed elsewhere," said Dr B Keerthi, president of VMM. One such case is of Charan (name changed), a boy from Kesarpalli near Gannavaram. "After passing seventh standard, my mother made me work in a sweet shop for 1,000 per month, 12 hours a day. Even after I was rescued and told to return to school, my parents preferred to send me back to work," he shared. Dr Keerthi stressed the need for regular monitoring post-rescue. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Child labour survivors share stories of hope and courage
Ranchi: Children, who were once forced to work in homes, factories, and roadside stalls, narrated the struggles of their past lives and thereafter, the path of hope after being rescued. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The survivors shared their stories during a programme organised on the occasion of 'World Day Against Child Labour' by the Bal Kalyan Sangh (BKS) in coordination with the International Labour Organisation (ILO). The event aimed to raise awareness about the realities of child labour and highlight the importance of rescue, rehabilitation, and education for affected children. Meanwhile, 120 children from Khuti district were engaged in agriculture, domestic work, and unregulated industries in cities in May this year. Chaibasa, Sahibganj, Pakur, Gumla, Simdega, Ranchi, Latehar, Chatra, and Khunti were the most vulnerable districts that contributed to the child labour pool. This was revealed during a survey conducted the BKS. A 16-year-old rescued domestic worker from Delhi, Mina Sangha, said, "I used to clean, cook, and take care of children from morning till night. I didn't know what school even looked like. But today, I go to school in my Chhata village. I dream of becoming a teacher so that no child undergoes what I did." A report by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) in 2024 found 228 Koderma children engaged as labourers. In West Singhbhum, 595 orphans and 1,393 children were identified in vulnerable circumstances and are in the process of being mainstreamed. Around 508 children, many hailing from the state's tribal and rural areas, were found involved in domestic and other forms of labour in metropolitan cities like Delhi. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The kids were rescued and rehabilitated. Rescued in 2019 after four years of labour in Ghaziabad, Rima Kashyap was brought back to her native village in Ratu block. Rima said, "I was forced to work in harsh conditions from a very young age. After rescue, I was enrolled in a vocational training programme, under which girls are trained as security guards at Burmu. I have been working as a security guard with the Central Institute of Psychiatry since 2023." Budhmani Oraon, who was taken as a child labour when she was a 7-year-old, said, "I was admitted to Project Uchayaa Vidyalaya, Bijupara. I developed a deep interest in social justice." A paralegal volunteer (PLV) working with the district legal services authority (DLSA), she helps others understand their legal rights and fights against child labour and abuse. The national project coordinator at the ILO, Lakshmi Narasimhan Gadiraju, said, "Ending child labour means empowering families, educating children, and strengthening communities. Dial 1098, the toll-free national child helpline, available 24/7 to ensure timely rescue and protection." State labour department secretary Jitendra Kumar said, "We are actively working to eliminate child labour. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that no child is deprived of a safe and nurturing childhood." A rescued child labourer from Ratu block, Fatima Ekka, said, "I was rescued and brought back to Jharkhand in 2023 after being employed as a domestic worker in Delhi for over four years. With the support from BKS Security, Burmu, I received training as a security guard and now serve as the security head at Audrey House." BKS, in coordination with the International Labour Organization (ILO), would implement a state action plan on child labour later this month to focus on identification, rescue, rehabilitation, and reintegration of child labourers, with dedicated strategies tailored to the state's socio-economic and demographic realities.
