Global march against child labor
Encyclopedia
The "Global march against child labor" came about in 1998 due to the overwhelming response of the need to end child labor
. It was a grassroot movement that motivated many individuals and organizations to come together and fight against child labor and not an annual march.
The main goals of this movement was to:
This event was a global conjuncture
that brought non-governmental organizations (NGOs), trade unions, teachers, children and individuals together to fight against child labor
. People from all over the world came together. There were people who marched only within their region and there were others who continued to Geneva, Switzerland. They were called the core marchers.
The marchers united and advanced through Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the U.S. Their final destination was Geneva, Switzerland where the International Labor Organization (ILO) meeting was taking place. At this conference, the issues of child labor
and implementing new policies in order to prevent it on the global level were discussed. This march was significant at the ILO convention against the worst forms of child labor otherwise known as Convention no. 182
, because:
This march was important to children in the work field since the underlying cause was to banish economic exploitation, not only in labor fields, but also through human trafficking
where children are usually sold off for commercial services.
For those students that were not able to physically participate in the march, they were able to participate in an Online March sponsored by the Massachusetts-based Kids Campaign to “Build a School for Iqbal”
. Over 3,000 classrooms with students published messages on the Global March web page.
Several goals were created and collectively agreed upon by the delegates of the supporting organizations for the Global March:
.
The policies that were introduced through this march emphasized highly on education
. When children are educated it helps the economy since they are more likely to get out of their poverty
stricken situation. By limiting education, it is limiting the prosperity of the nation.
The United States led their own nationwide march. It began in Los Angeles, California on May 2, 1998. The marchers went through all the major cities such as: Dallas, Little Rock, St Louis, Detroit and New York. The last city they visited was Washington, D.C. on May 26, 1998. From there, the core marchers went to Geneva, Switzerland. "The U.S. march has two main goals: to focus attention on domestic child labor problems, particularly those related to sweatshops and migrant agricultural work, and to encourage consumers to demand, retailers to sell and manufacturers to produce child-labor-free goods".
Within their nationwide march many organizations got actively involved. These U.S. organizations co-sponsored the Global March against Child Labor.
Kailash Satyarthi is largely responsible for taking the initiative of organizing this march. He had a vision of eliminating child labor everywhere and allowing education to become highly accessible for children. Kailash Satyarthi was the moving force in shifting our attention to child labor as a social issue. Through his tireless efforts, he has “brought political and judiciary machinery into action, and sensitized media in favor of the most oppressed children”. His work did not stop after this march instead, he moved on to other projects such as Global Campaign for Education to promote universal education.
. The event was organized by the Global March against Child Labor and other grassroots
organizations.
Children were invited to the event through selection where at the Congress they were able to interact and communicate their views on the most pertinent concerns connected to their childhood and adolescence. They disclosed their experiences, dreams and ambitions as well as well as partake in various activities that lead to the formation of Action Plans
. The selections for the Congress were made through democratic consultation processes (nominated by other children) at the national and local levels. Most of the representatives were former child laborers that got assistance from education and vocational training
in local civic organizations
or treatment centers; however some were still working so they could pay for their education and some were chosen to represent associations such as Trade Unions
and Child Rights Organizations.
This Congress was significant because it was the first Congress where children were the focus and were the chief spokespersons, decision makers and recipients. Approximately 200 children ages 11 to 17 were in attendance. The children that took part in the Congress came from diverse backgrounds and cultures and represented various regions, countries and organizations
This conference was crucial in understanding child labor and work exploitation
on April 17, 2002, the Argentina National Team demonstrated their unity on abolishing child labor. They lifted a banner that read, “The only work for children should be to go to school"
On January 17, 2004, the Global March against Child Labor celebrated its 6th anniversary in Quezon City
. The celebration was held at the Occupational Safety and Health Center where more than 5,000 children and their parents marched from Quezon Memorial Circle
to honor the movement. The ILO, government organizations, churches and other organizations were present at the celebration.
Political candidates were invited in hopes of convincing them to incorporate child labor issue in their platforms. The candidates were introduced to the issue of child labor
and conversed with the children.
After the traditional signing of the RA 9231
all participants joined hands in giving appreciation to the strides made and rewards received because of the successes achieved by the Global March movement. Invited artists and chosen groups of child laborers showcased any talents and artistic skills they possessed in activities such as dancing, singing and playing musical instruments"
.
Child labor
Child labour refers to the employment of children at regular and sustained labour. This practice is considered exploitative by many international organizations and is illegal in many countries...
. It was a grassroot movement that motivated many individuals and organizations to come together and fight against child labor and not an annual march.
The main goals of this movement was to:
- "Protect and promote the rights of all children, especially the rights to receive free, meaningful education"
- "To be free from economic exploitation and from performing any work that is likely to be damaging to a child's physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development". The march was very successful and it achieved its purpose by allowing changes to occur with the policies of child laborChild laborChild labour refers to the employment of children at regular and sustained labour. This practice is considered exploitative by many international organizations and is illegal in many countries...
with the International Labor Organization (ILO)
Overview
This march began on January 17, 1998 under the leadership of Kailash SatyarthiKailash Satyarthi
Kailash Satyarthi is a human rights activist from India who has been at the forefront of the global movement to end child slavery and exploitative child labor since 1980 when he gave up a lucrative career as an Electrical Engineer for initiating crusade against Child Servitude. His organization...
This event was a global conjuncture
Conjuncture
In general, a conjuncture is a period marked by some watershed event which separates different epochs.In economics, conjuncture is a critical combination of events....
that brought non-governmental organizations (NGOs), trade unions, teachers, children and individuals together to fight against child labor
Child labor
Child labour refers to the employment of children at regular and sustained labour. This practice is considered exploitative by many international organizations and is illegal in many countries...
. People from all over the world came together. There were people who marched only within their region and there were others who continued to Geneva, Switzerland. They were called the core marchers.
The marchers united and advanced through Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the U.S. Their final destination was Geneva, Switzerland where the International Labor Organization (ILO) meeting was taking place. At this conference, the issues of child labor
Child labor
Child labour refers to the employment of children at regular and sustained labour. This practice is considered exploitative by many international organizations and is illegal in many countries...
and implementing new policies in order to prevent it on the global level were discussed. This march was significant at the ILO convention against the worst forms of child labor otherwise known as Convention no. 182
Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999
The Convention concerning the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour, known in short as the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, was adopted by the International Labour Organization in 1999 as ILO Convention No 182. It is one of 8 ILO fundamental...
, because:
- The marchers' opinions were heavily considered while writing out the draft.
- Also, it became the fastest ratified convention in the history of ILO with 150 countries adopting this draft.
This march was important to children in the work field since the underlying cause was to banish economic exploitation, not only in labor fields, but also through human trafficking
Human trafficking
Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery...
where children are usually sold off for commercial services.
For those students that were not able to physically participate in the march, they were able to participate in an Online March sponsored by the Massachusetts-based Kids Campaign to “Build a School for Iqbal”
Quincy Public Schools
Quincy Public Schools is a school district that manages schools in Quincy, Massachusetts, USA. The superintendent is Richard DeCristofaro.-History:The Quincy Public Schools first superintendent was Francis W. Parker. F. W...
. Over 3,000 classrooms with students published messages on the Global March web page.
Several goals were created and collectively agreed upon by the delegates of the supporting organizations for the Global March:
- Increase attention and consciousness in regards to child laborChild laborChild labour refers to the employment of children at regular and sustained labour. This practice is considered exploitative by many international organizations and is illegal in many countries...
- Encourage the ratificationRatificationRatification is a principal's approval of an act of its agent where the agent lacked authority to legally bind the principal. The term applies to private contract law, international treaties, and constitutionals in federations such as the United States and Canada.- Private law :In contract law, the...
and implementation of surviving child laborChild laborChild labour refers to the employment of children at regular and sustained labour. This practice is considered exploitative by many international organizations and is illegal in many countries...
and education conventions and laws by states - Assemble the most achievable national and international resources to sustain educationEducationEducation in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
for all children - Marshal public opinion and engagement against the extensive prejudices contributing to child laborChild laborChild labour refers to the employment of children at regular and sustained labour. This practice is considered exploitative by many international organizations and is illegal in many countries...
- Commanding the urgent eradication of the majority of oppressive forms of child labor
- Endorse constructive actions by consumers and employees
- Guarantee adequate treatments and reincorporation of child laborers
Organizations that are Involved
Currently, there are many organizations that supported the cause of the global march:- Education InternationalEducation InternationalEducation International is a global union federation of teachers' trade unions. Currently, it has 401 member organizations in 172 countries and territories, representing over 30 million education personnel from pre-school to university...
- Oxfam International
- Action Aid
- World VisionWorld VisionWorld Vision, founded in the USA in 1950, is an evangelical relief and development organization whose stated goal is "to follow our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in working with the poor and oppressed to promote human transformation, seek justice and bear witness to the good news of the Kingdom of...
- Social Alert
- World Confederation of Teachers
- Save the Children Fund (UK)
- Public Services InternationalPublic Services InternationalPublic Services International is a global union federation of public sector trade unions. It 620 affiliated unions, in 160 countries, representing 20 million workers...
(PSI)
International Steering Committee
An International Steering Committee (membership is pulled from almost every continent) for the Global March against child labor was formed and consisted of:- African Network for the Prevention and Protection Against Child Abuse and Neglect in KenyaKenyaKenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
- Anti-Slavery InternationalAnti-Slavery InternationalAnti-Slavery International is an international nongovernmental organization, charity and a lobby group, based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1839, it is the world's oldest international human rights organization, and the only charity in the United Kingdom to work exclusively against slavery and...
in the United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... - Education InternationalEducation InternationalEducation International is a global union federation of teachers' trade unions. Currently, it has 401 member organizations in 172 countries and territories, representing over 30 million education personnel from pre-school to university...
in BelgiumBelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... - FundaHao ABRINQ in BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
- International Labor Rights Fund in United States of AmericaUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
- Network against Child Labour in South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
- Novib in Holland
- Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Center for Human Rights in the United States of America
- South Asian Coalition on Child ServitudeBachpan Bachao AndolanBachpan Bachao Andolan is a non-governmental organization in India working to "eradicate child labour". The group was founded by Kailash Satyarthi in 1980.-External links:* * * *...
in IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world... - Terre des Hommes-Suisse in SwitzerlandSwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
Benefits
This march was important to children because it discourages them to experience economic exploitation in the labor field such as human traffickingHuman trafficking
Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery...
.
The policies that were introduced through this march emphasized highly on education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
. When children are educated it helps the economy since they are more likely to get out of their poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
stricken situation. By limiting education, it is limiting the prosperity of the nation.
Origins of this March
The march had 140 different countries that participated the act with thousands of partners. It consisted of events, rallies, foot marches and bus caravans. The first country that began the march was in Manila, Philippines on January 17, 1998. The marches took place in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the United States. Out of all of those people who participated in the march, only the select few known as the core marchers moved on to Geneva, Switzerland where the ILO were meeting for a possible revision of a new international convention on the most intolerable forms of child labor (Convention no. 182).The United States led their own nationwide march. It began in Los Angeles, California on May 2, 1998. The marchers went through all the major cities such as: Dallas, Little Rock, St Louis, Detroit and New York. The last city they visited was Washington, D.C. on May 26, 1998. From there, the core marchers went to Geneva, Switzerland. "The U.S. march has two main goals: to focus attention on domestic child labor problems, particularly those related to sweatshops and migrant agricultural work, and to encourage consumers to demand, retailers to sell and manufacturers to produce child-labor-free goods".
Within their nationwide march many organizations got actively involved. These U.S. organizations co-sponsored the Global March against Child Labor.
- AFL-CIOAFL-CIOThe American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, commonly AFL–CIO, is a national trade union center, the largest federation of unions in the United States, made up of 56 national and international unions, together representing more than 11 million workers...
- American Federation of TeachersAmerican Federation of TeachersThe American Federation of Teachers is an American labor union founded in 1916 that represents teachers, paraprofessionals and school-related personnel; local, state and federal employees; higher education faculty and staff, and nurses and other healthcare professionals...
- Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs
- Childreach/US Member of PLAN
- International Child Labor Coalition
- Church of the Brethren General Board/Office of Brethren Witness
- Community Action on Latin America
- Dr. Homa Darabi FoundationWomen of Truckee Making HistoryWomen of Truckee Making History is a book that celebrates local women for their contributions to the community of Truckee, California. It was compiled, designed and edited by two Truckee women, Parvin Darabi and Lydia Sparksworthy....
- Free the Children/U.S.A.
- General Federation of Women's Clubs
- Global Kids Inc.
- International Labor Organization Washington/Branch Office
- International Labor Rights Fund
- The Kids Campaign To "Build A School for Iqbal"/Broad Meadows Middle SchoolQuincy Public SchoolsQuincy Public Schools is a school district that manages schools in Quincy, Massachusetts, USA. The superintendent is Richard DeCristofaro.-History:The Quincy Public Schools first superintendent was Francis W. Parker. F. W...
- Kids Meeting Kids Can Make a Difference
- National Consumers LeagueNational Consumers LeagueThe National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is an American consumer organization. The National Consumers League is a private, nonprofit advocacy group representing consumers on marketplace and workplace issues....
- Political and Social Action Committee/Washington Ethical SocietyEthical CultureThe Ethical movement, also referred to as the Ethical Culture movement or simply Ethical Culture, is an ethical, educational, and religious movement that is usually traced back to Felix Adler...
- Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Center for Human Rights
- United Methodist Church General Board of Church and SocietyGeneral Board of Church and SocietyThe United Methodist Board of Church and Society is a general agency of the United Methodist Church. It is one of four international general program boards of The United Methodist Church as set out the UMC Book of Discipline. The General Board has headquarters on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C....
- United Methodist Church: Women's Division General Board of Global Ministries
- Washington Ethical Action Office/American Ethical Union
- Women's Environment & Development OrganizationWomen's Environment & Development OrganizationThe Women's Environment & Development Organization is an international non-governmental organization based in New York, U.S. that advocates women’s equality in global policy. It was founded in 1990 by Bella Abzug and Mim Kelber to take action in the United Nations and other international...
- Youth Advocate Program InternationalAdvocates for YouthAdvocates for Youth is a nonprofit organization and advocacy group based in Washington, D.C., USA, dedicated to sexuality education, the prevention of HIV and of sexually transmitted disease, teenage pregnancy prevention, youth access to condoms and contraception , equality for LGBT youth, and...
Rise to Prominence
The march was a success since the revision of a new international convention on the most intolerable forms of child labor Convention No 182 was changed the following year. Through this march, Convention no. 182 became the fastest ratified law. This decree became the guideline for governments internationally when creating labor laws. Currently, over 150 countries have adopted Convention no. 182 in their own nation.Kailash Satyarthi is largely responsible for taking the initiative of organizing this march. He had a vision of eliminating child labor everywhere and allowing education to become highly accessible for children. Kailash Satyarthi was the moving force in shifting our attention to child labor as a social issue. Through his tireless efforts, he has “brought political and judiciary machinery into action, and sensitized media in favor of the most oppressed children”. His work did not stop after this march instead, he moved on to other projects such as Global Campaign for Education to promote universal education.
Evolution
This march initiated other events to come together to fight against child labor. The march spread the awareness of eliminating child labor in our society and worldwide. Here are some examples of events that branched off from this march:- South Asian March against Child Trafficking
- UN announced the Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking
- Global Campaign for Education
- The World Cup Campaign 2002
- Fair Chocolate for the World
- Northern Advocacy Office in Washington D.C.
The First Children’s World Congress on Child Labour
The First Children’s World Congress on Child Labour (CWWCL) was held in May 2004 in Florence, ItalyItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. The event was organized by the Global March against Child Labor and other grassroots
Grassroots
A grassroots movement is one driven by the politics of a community. The term implies that the creation of the movement and the group supporting it are natural and spontaneous, highlighting the differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power structures...
organizations.
Children were invited to the event through selection where at the Congress they were able to interact and communicate their views on the most pertinent concerns connected to their childhood and adolescence. They disclosed their experiences, dreams and ambitions as well as well as partake in various activities that lead to the formation of Action Plans
Goal
A goal is an objective, or a projected computation of affairs, that a person or a system plans or intends to achieve.Goal, GOAL or G.O.A.L may also refer to:Sport...
. The selections for the Congress were made through democratic consultation processes (nominated by other children) at the national and local levels. Most of the representatives were former child laborers that got assistance from education and vocational training
Vocational education
Vocational education or vocational education and training is an education that prepares trainees for jobs that are based on manual or practical activities, traditionally non-academic, and totally related to a specific trade, occupation, or vocation...
in local civic organizations
Civic society
In the United Kingdom a civic society is a voluntary body or society which aims to represent the needs of a local community.A civic society may campaign for high standards of planning of new buildings or traffic schemes, conservation of historic buildings, and may present awards for good standards...
or treatment centers; however some were still working so they could pay for their education and some were chosen to represent associations such as Trade Unions
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
and Child Rights Organizations.
This Congress was significant because it was the first Congress where children were the focus and were the chief spokespersons, decision makers and recipients. Approximately 200 children ages 11 to 17 were in attendance. The children that took part in the Congress came from diverse backgrounds and cultures and represented various regions, countries and organizations
This conference was crucial in understanding child labor and work exploitation
Exploitation
This article discusses the term exploitation in the meaning of using something in an unjust or cruel manner.- As unjust benefit :In political economy, economics, and sociology, exploitation involves a persistent social relationship in which certain persons are being mistreated or unfairly used for...
Facts and Statistics
- 1997: ILO estimated between 100 million and 200 million child laborers in the world
- 2004: ILO estimated that there were 218 million child laborers worldwide, with 7 of 10 working in agriculture
- In order to globally abolish child labor, ILO approximates an expense of $38 billion per year for 20 years.
- In 2001, Indian government confessed to having 12.7 million child laborers
- In Brazil in order to convince parents to send their children to school instead of work, the government pays families $4.50 per child a month. Currently, there are more than 1 million participants
- In Guatemala, female child laborers typically work 21 hours a week on domestic responsibilities coupled with a 40-hour working week beyond this.
Events
At a match against GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
on April 17, 2002, the Argentina National Team demonstrated their unity on abolishing child labor. They lifted a banner that read, “The only work for children should be to go to school"
On January 17, 2004, the Global March against Child Labor celebrated its 6th anniversary in Quezon City
Quezon City
Quezon City is the former capital and the most populous city in the Philippines. Located on the island of Luzon, Quezon City is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila, the National Capital Region. The city was named after Manuel L...
. The celebration was held at the Occupational Safety and Health Center where more than 5,000 children and their parents marched from Quezon Memorial Circle
Quezon Memorial Circle
The Quezon Memorial Circle is a national park and shrine located in Quezon City, former capital of the Philippines . The park is an ellipse bounded by the Elliptical Road. Its main feature is a mausoleum containing the remains of Manuel L...
to honor the movement. The ILO, government organizations, churches and other organizations were present at the celebration.
Political candidates were invited in hopes of convincing them to incorporate child labor issue in their platforms. The candidates were introduced to the issue of child labor
Child labor
Child labour refers to the employment of children at regular and sustained labour. This practice is considered exploitative by many international organizations and is illegal in many countries...
and conversed with the children.
After the traditional signing of the RA 9231
Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003
The Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, R.A. No. 9208, is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 2444 and House Bill No. 4432...
all participants joined hands in giving appreciation to the strides made and rewards received because of the successes achieved by the Global March movement. Invited artists and chosen groups of child laborers showcased any talents and artistic skills they possessed in activities such as dancing, singing and playing musical instruments"
.