World Day Against Child Labour 2012 - Activities

To mark World Day 2012 events are taking place in more than 50 countries around the world. Events range from high level policy debates, to public debates, media events, awareness-raising campaigns, cultural performances and other public activities involving governments, employers and workers, other UN organizations and non-governmental organisations. Below is a summary of some of the events and activities by region. Click here to access to a fuller list.

Africa

In Africa, activities and events have already begun in the lead up to the World Day and many countries have activities running through to the Day of the African Child on June 16.

In Ghana several events are planned including a public forum and a Children’s Day which will focus on of ending child labour and promoting universal access to quality basic education in Ghana.

In Burkina Faso, an awareness-raising event, will bring together Government Officials, Employers’ and Worker’s Organisation representatives, local authorities, parents and children around the general theme of World Day against child labour: "Human Rights and social Justice: End child labour". This event will conclude with a theatre performance.

In Comoros a peaceful march is being organised by women’s groups and civil society of Moheli against child labour on10th June 2012. The march will be led by Ms Hadidja Aboubacar, First Lady of the Union of Comoros.

In Egypt, there will be activities in 6 areas across the country, where children will engage in many activities to raise their awareness as well as highlight child labour issues in their communities.

In Uganda, IPEC has implemented a series of activities with Rural Development Media Communications to increase awareness among community members about the World Day and urgency to tackle the worst forms of child labour. Over two weeks, 20 film screenings will take place in the districts of Mbale and Rakai. Following each film discussions and debates will be held based on the issues conveyed in the film.

Americas

At the regional level in the Americas, an online seminar (webinar) on human rights and child labour will be held on the 14 June 2012 for the Americas region. The panel will be made up of: Mr. Amerigo Incalcaterra, Regional Representative for South America of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and Mr. Guillermo Dema, Child Labour and Youth Employment Specialist of the ILO.

In Uruguay, IPEC will be supporting national constituents and stakeholders to launch the development of the National Plan of Action for the elimination of child labour and protection of adolescent workers, as part of the World Day Celebrations.

A Facebook campaign has been launched in Haiti “Frennen Sistem Restavek“ against the “Restavek” phenomenon in Haiti. It is a joint effort of the ILO-IPEC project in the country with United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) among others.

Arab States

Education unions in a number of countries will utilise awareness-raising and advocacy materials developed by IPEC, through activities with school children.

In Jordan on June 12 there will be a panel discussion, including children, to address gaps in policy, legislation and programmes relevant to child labour. There will also be other activities involving children and communities.

Asia

In Bangladesh, on June 12 IPEC will also be supporting the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics with the launch of the National Child Labour Survey 2012.

In Cambodia, the World Day Against Child Labour was celebrated on the same day as International Children’s Day on May 29th. The participation of 500 children was anticipated at the event, in which Samdach Ahkas Moha Sena Padey Techor Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Royal Government of Cambodia participated in this event and addressed children’s issues.

In Nepal, World Day celebrations aim to strengthen and promote awareness and action to tackle child labour in line with the commitments embodied in the National Master Plan. A nation wide signature campaign will take place in schools, colleges, universities, Government departments and local bodies prior to 12 June aimed at generating support and commitment from stakeholders in the fight against child labour. Hundreds of “flex” banners will be produced where 5,000 representatives are requested to express their commitment to eliminate child labour by signature. The collected and signed “flexes” will be displayed in school premises, assembly halls and public areas/conference rooms.

In Indonesia on 14 the State Planning Body, Bappenas, in conjunction with a local radio station, will host the launch of an inter agency report on child labour, education and youth employment. The event will be attended by senior representatives of ILO, UNICEF and the World Bank.

Europe and Central Asia

In Tajikistan, a Round Table on the topic of “Children's rights and social justice - No child labour in Tajikistan" will be held in partnership with the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsmen). The roundtable will bring together 25 members of Inter-Ministerial Working Group of the Ombudsman Office, 15 staff of the Ombudsmen Office and representatives of media to discuss the issue of child labour, children rights and social justice. A resolution to mainstream the issue of child labour and social justice to working children into the State Programme on Education in Human Rights for 2012-2017 will be drafted and agreed prior to the event.

In Rome, the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) will host an event on June 12. The event will kick off with a short video featuring positive action in Cambodia to tackle child labour in fisheries, followed by an FAO-ILO presentation on the International Agricultural Partnership’s main achievements and lessons learned for the way forward.

In Geneva, the ILO will mark the World Day 2012 by holding the IPEC International Steering Committee during the International Labour Conference. During the Committee meeting the ILO will be issuing a new call for Universal ratification of the ILO child labour Conventions and all the ILO’s core Conventions and for a new focus on national policies and programmes to ensure effective action against child labour as a follow up to ratification of the Conventions.

In the evening, there will be a screening of Hubert Dubois’s documentary “Enfants Forçat” at the Cinéma Le Grütli at 19:30 (EST).

Global

At the Global level, with the support of Education International, education unions in many countries are encouraging teachers to organise a classroom discussion or other activity on the problem of child labour and the importance of all children having access to quality education.