World Day against Child Labour 2007 - June 12th


Posted on 25th May 2007

The International Labour Organization (ILO) will highlight the elimination of child labour in Agriculture on June 12th and the hazards and dangerous situations faced by children all over the world.

Worldwide, agriculture is the sector where the largest percentage of working children is found - nearly 70 percent. Over 132 million girls and boys aged 5 to 14 years old often work from sun up to sun down on farms and plantations, planting and harvesting crops, spraying pesticides, and tending livestock.

When children have to work long hours in the fields, their ability to attend school or skills training is limited, preventing them from gaining education that could help lift them out of poverty in the future.

However, not all work that children undertake in agriculture is bad for them tasks appropriate to a child's age and that do not interfere with a child's schooling and leisure time can be a normal part of growing up in a rural environment.

The ILO is now working with international agricultural organizations on the elimination of child labour in agriculture, especially hazardous child labour.

Fair Trade Media Greetings cards and stationery donates a percentage of its costs to producer’s children’s education funds »

< Back to Ethical News

e-Newsletter
Subscribe to our newsletter to get updates & special offers