International Labor Organization (ILO) would launch an awareness campaign against child labour by organizing various activities to celebrate 2021 as the International year for elimination for child labor.
According to details, ILO has finalized preparations to organize a cartoon competition on child forced labour and release special music in this regard. ILO has decided to celebrate 2021 as the International year for elimination for child labor said an official of ILO here on Wednesday.
Talking to APP, Munawar Sultanan and ILO Representative said that 2021 is the International Year for the Elimination of Child Labour, as declared by United Nation(UN) and the ILO was asked to facilitate the organization of the year in collaboration with its partners. She added that child labour harms children mentally, physically, socially, and morally.
It interferes with their schooling, preventing them from attending or concentrating. It may involve them being enslaved, separated from their families, and exposed to serious hazards and illnesses. She also said that as part of the strategy to encourage engagement throughout the year ILO will also engage with artists.
She added that the International Year would be an important opportunity to accelerate action towards the Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) to end child labor by 2025, and to address the challenges posed by COVID-19 in this regard. It will also serve to build momentum towards the V Global Conference on the Sustainable Eradication of Child Labor, which will be hosted by the Government of South Africa in 2022, she added.
Almost half of child labour happens in Africa (72 million children), followed by Asia and the Pacific (62 million). 70% of children in child labour work in agriculture, mainly in subsistence and commercial farming and herding livestock,she added.—APP
