World Day Against Child Labour 2025, observed on June 12, marks the 26th anniversary of the Convention on the Worst Forms of Child Labour. Themed "Progress is clear, but there’s more to do: let’s speed up efforts," it addresses the ongoing issue of 138 million children in child labour worldwide.
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The World Day Against Child Labour 2025 celerated with the aim to raise awareness and accelerate action to eliminate child labour in all its forms.
Date: June 12, 2025
Theme: Progress is clear, but there's more to do: let’s speed up efforts!
The day is a global initiative launched by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in 2002 to raise awareness about the issue of child labour and its impact on children.
Child labour is work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential, and their dignity, and that is harmful to their physical and mental development.
Globally, the ILO and UNICEF report that nearly 138 million children were engaged in child labour in 2024. Of these, around 54 million were in hazardous work that is likely to harm their health, safety, or development.
While there has been a significant reduction of over 20 million children in child labour since 2020, the world has missed a critical component of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically Target 8.7, which calls for the eradication of child labour in all its forms by 2025.
While progress has been made, recent years have seen a reversal of positive trends due to conflicts, crises, and the COVID-19 pandemic, which have pushed more families into poverty.
According to the 2011 Census, India had 10.1 million child labourers between the ages of 5 and 14.
Key sectors employing children in India include brick kilns, carpet weaving, garment making, domestic service, and various unorganized sectors.
States like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh account for a substantial portion of India's child labour force.
Constitutional Provisions
Article 21A: Guarantees the right to free and compulsory education for all children between the ages of 6 and 14. This is a fundamental right that aims to keep children in school and out of the workforce.
Article 24: Prohibits the employment of children below the age of 14 in any factory, mine, or other hazardous employment.
Article 39(e): A Directive Principle of State Policy that directs the state to ensure that the health and strength of workers, including the tender age of children, are not abused.
Key Legislations
The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016
The Factories Act, 1948: Prohibits the employment of children below 14 years in factories.
The Mines Act, 1952: Prohibits the employment of anyone below the age of 18 in mines.
Right to Education Act, 2009: Mandates free and compulsory education for children aged 6 to 14, which is a crucial tool to prevent child labour.
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PRACTICE QUESTION Q. Which of the following options best describes the focus of the "PENCIL" portal launched by the Ministry of Labour and Employment? A) To provide direct cash transfers to families of rescued child laborers. B) To serve as a platform for the effective enforcement of the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) by connecting various stakeholders. C) To create a national database of child laborers to be used for academic research purposes only. D) To offer online vocational training modules exclusively for adolescents who have been withdrawn from hazardous work. Answer: B Explanation: The government launched the PENCIL (Platform for Effective Enforcement for No Child Labour) portal as a dedicated digital platform to strengthen the enforcement of the NCLP. The portal connects the central government, state governments, district administrations, project societies, and civil society organizations. It facilitates the filing of complaints, tracking of rescued children, and monitoring the implementation of the NCLP. |
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