06/12/2026
138 million children are involved in child labor worldwide, and nearly 54 million are in hazardous work. Today we mark World Day Against Child Labor, sharing the ILO’s campaign to “Give the red card to child labor,” demanding fair play for children, and decent work for adults. The International Labour Organization of the United Nations (ILO) defines child labor 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. Usually, child labour interferes with a child’s right to education and to play.” The ILO hopes that by tying the well-known symbol of the red card to child labor as we approach the global moment of the World Cup, we can increase awareness and build an international commitment to end child labor.
A main component of ending child labor is providing care-taking adults and parents with decent work - work with dignity. For years, Partners has allied with workers and unions around the world to campaign for binding, enforceable agreements to ensure fair wages, safe workplaces, and job security for adults. In addition, our Dignity in Schools campaign works to ensure that schools are safe, healthy and nurturing environments where every student has the opportunity to reach their full potential. Both work with dignity for adults and supportive schools for children are key steps to