World Day Against Child Labour

( New York, 12 June 2009 ) - The World Day Against Child Labour 2009 is held amid growing concerns over the impact of the economic crisis on child labour, and in particular girls. The World Day celebrates progress made toward the elimination of child labour, while at the same time urging governments, business and others to take action on continuing challenges.

For the World Day, the ILO released a report titled Give Girls a Chance: Tackling child labour, a key to the future , highlighting the exploitation of girls in child labour and warning that the crisis could force more girls out of education and into child labour.

This year’s World Day also marks the tenth anniversary of the adoption of ILO Convention No. 182 on the elimination of the worst forms of child labour, which, together with the Minimum Age Convention No. 138, provides the framework for national law on this matter. Likewise, Global Compact Principle 5 of the UN Global Compact asks companies to uphold the effective abolition of child labour.

• ILO International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC)
  
• Eliminating Child Labour: ILO Guides for Employers
• Engagement Opportunities for Business (pdf)
• The Labour Principles of the UN Global Compact - A Guide for Business (pdf)

Contact

Ursula Wynhoven
Head, Policy and Legal
Global Compact Office
wynhoven@un.org