The World Day Against Child Labour is observed on June 12 every year to highlight the barbaric practice of child labour. The day not only focuses on the suitable environment required for the children to grow and prosper but also provides an opportunity to gain support from governments, civil society and media to participate in the campaign against child labour.
Poverty is one of the main reasons for child labour because of which children are forced to leave their schools and opt for minimal jobs to support their parents for their livelihood. Moreover, some are forced into child labour by organised crime rackets. The theme of World Against Child Labour 2021 is 'Act now, end child labour!'
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The International Labour Organization (ILO) launched World Day Against Child Labour in 2002, after which the day has been annually celebrated to raise awareness about the plight of child labourers worldwide and steps one can take to eradicate this social evil.
According to the ILO, there are about 152 million children globally who are engaged in child labour, 72 million of whom are in hazardous work.