European Union International Day Against Child Labour: Shield for Children is Urgently Needed!

7 Jun 2009

Extracts from the press release: Terre des Hommes warns of the risk of an increase in child labour as a result of the global financial crisis. The child relief organisation is warning of an increase in child labour. The loss of jobs for adults, especially in the export-oriented sector in emerging countries, means that millions of families are under economic pressure.

The International Labour Organization ILO estimates that 50 million jobs have been lost worldwide. “Millions of people are taking any kind of job and are trying desperately to keep themselves and their families above water. In many families, the decision to remove children from school was taken”, said Barbara Küppers, Terre des Hommes International Federation expert in child labour. Families can no longer pay for school fees and books, and children have to contribute to the household income. In India, for example, the situation of the poor has deteriorated, even in times of high economic growth; the country has fallen to rank 132 in the UN social development index, and 59 million boys and girls between 5 and 14 years of age are not attending school.

“Terre des Hommes therefore calls on governments and on the international community to deploy a protective umbrella for children, now”, said Barbara Küppers. “Otherwise the number of working children will rise and even the so far small success against the exploitation of children would be wasted.” The remission of school fees or free school meals would have a direct effect, for example.

Around 217 million children work worldwide; 126 million of these children are used as slaves, debts-bonded servants, or are unscrupulously exploited in life-threatening working conditions. Since the adoption of ILO Convention 182 against the worst forms of child labour on June 1999, laws have been passed in many states to protect children from exploitative work. Some governments have improved their education system and the enrolment rates have increased in some countries. In some sectors, joint efforts have been led by Trade Unions, employers and non-governmental organizations to combat child labour.

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