World Day Against Child Labour – 12 June

Any form of work or activities which deprive children of their right to childhood is considered child labour. Statistics from the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) show that there are 160 million child labourers accounting for one out of ten of all children worldwide. This situation is more severe in many developing countries of Asia, Latin America, and Africa. Sub-Saharan Africa alone has 86.6 million child labourers. This situation is so alarming that the international community cannot keep quiet. It is for this reason that June 12, every year, is commemorated as the World Day Against Child Labour to raise awareness and try to eradicate it.

As Marists of Champagnat, we are called to protect children and advocate for their rights. We inherited this from Saint Marcellin Champagnat who spent his life forming Brothers to educate children living in poverty and ignorance. Today, we continue to educate children to enjoy their rights by giving them opportunities through our educational and social works as well as through Marist NGOs and Foundations who support education projects and promote children’s rights in developing countries.

This is in line with the call of the 22nd General Chapter to defend and promote the rights of children and young people by proactively implementing policies for their protection against all types of abuse.

The Catholic Church condemns Child labour in strong terms. Describing it as ‘blight’, Pope Leo XIII warned that great care should be taken not to place children in workshops and factories until their bodies and minds are sufficiently developed. Similarly, on June 11, 2014, Pope Francis raised a Red Card to child labour and called on everyone especially families, to protect the dignity of children and offer them the opportunity to grow in a healthy environment. Referring to child labour as a scourge that stifles children of their joyful impulse of hope, he insisted that all Children must be able to play, study and grow in a harmonious context of love and serenity in their own families. He equally used this occasion to reiterate the Catholic Church’s commitment to promote and coordinate initiatives to protect children.

From every indication, extreme poverty and unemployment of parents are the factors that most expose children especially in developing countries. Regarding this, a joint effort is needed to eradicate poverty and correct the distortions of the current economic system, which concentrates wealth in the hands of the few. Also, we need to support civil society organizations and religious groups in putting pressure on the states and economic actors to create decent work opportunities with fair wages that allow families to meet their needs without their children being forced to work. Besides this, we need to make an option for child labourers by condemning child labour. We can also tackle it by spreading awareness, supporting, and encouraging poor families to send children to school, discouraging their employment in homes and in the factories, as well as supporting NGOs and Foundations like FMSI SED Spain who work for the benefit of children and young people in developing countries.

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Br. Francis Lukong – Secretariat of Solidarity