Act to End Child Labour

World Day Against Child Labour is observed each year on 12th June. The theme for 2024 is Let’s Act on our Commitments: End Child Labour. 2024 marks the 25th anniversary of the adoption of ILO Convention No. 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour (1999), which, in 2020, was the first ILO Convention to be universally ratified.

It is estimated there are currently 160 million children in child labour of these 79 million are in hazardous work. International standards define child labour as work that is hazardous to a child’s health and development, demands too many hours and/or is performed by children who are too young. Child labour also denies a child of the opportunity to be educated and engage in social activities that are part of their development.

Prior to the Covid pandemic progress was being made in the elimination of child labour. However in recent year that trend has reversed. With the adoption of Sustainable Development Goal Target 8.7, the international community made a commitment to the elimination of child labour in all its forms by 2025. There is still much to be done.

What action can you take? One option is review your chocolate purchases. A significant portion of chocolate available in Australia is produced using cocoa beans harvested by child labourers. Be Slavery Free has surveyed the world’s chocolate companies to find out what’s really going into the chocolate you buy.  Become an agent of change in the campaign to end child labour by using the Chocolate Scorecard to help you make responsible choices when purchasing chocolate.