June 12th carries global humanitarian significance as the International Labor Organization commemorates World Day Against Child Labor in 2024. Coinciding poignantly with late spring annually, this observance confronts the stark reality of children exploited as laborer’s worldwide. The unique timing provides an opportune moment to catalyze efforts protecting child rights while spreading awareness to end abusive practices. As activists and communities coordinate internationally on this particular 2024 date, the message resonates clearly – child labor hinders human progress. This year the theme of World Day Against Child Labor is Let’s act on our commitments: End Child Labor.

This year’s World Day will focus on celebrating the 25th anniversary of the adoption of ILO Convention No. 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labor (1999), which, in 2020, was the first ILO Convention to be universally ratified. While we will call on all remaining member States that have not done so to ratify Convention No. 138, the World Day will also be an opportunity for reminding all stakeholders to improve their implementation of the two fundamental ILO Conventions on child labor – ILO Convention No. 182 and ILO Convention No. 138 for Minimum Age for Admission to Employment or Work (1973). While much progress has been made in reducing child labor over the years, recent years have seen global trends reverse, and, now more than ever it is important to join forces to accelerate action towards ending child labor in all its forms.

With the adoption of Sustainable Development Goal Target 8.7, the international community made a commitment to the elimination of child labor in all its forms by 2025. Governments around the world have ratified ILO Conventions on child labor (Convention No. 182 ratified by all 187 ILO member States, and Convention No. 138 ratified by 176-member States) and are committed to their implementation. The Durban Call to Action, adopted by delegates following the 5th Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labor in 2022, shows the way. Now is the time to make the elimination of child labor a reality.

God, we beg you to protect children from the exploitation of child labor. Keep children safe, within their families and communities, so that they can grow up knowing that they are loved and secure. Help us to examine the choices we make so that we can consciously support those working to eliminate child labor. Motivate us to speak out on behalf of just wages for adult workers in all countries so that they can support their families without the need for child labor. Bless those parents who have lost children to child labor, so that they will be comforted and will soon be able to reunite with their children.