For approximately 168 million children around the world, June 12 is just another day on the job. They’ll spend it making bricks and carpets, sewing garments, mining for gems and minerals, or stuffing matchsticks in a box.
I went to work at 7 a.m. at the match company and I came back home around 7:30 p.m.—Latha, who worked 12-hour days at a matchstick factory
June 12 is also World Day Against Child Labor, a time to remember the young workers who have been robbed of childhood, education, and the future they deserve.
Some child laborers are virtual slaves who work to pay off a family debt. Others have been tricked and trafficked into degrading and illegal activities. Many work long hours in extremely hazardous conditions.
This June 12, the International Labor Organization is promoting the availability of free, compulsory, and high-quality education as a way to combat child labor. In many places around the world, World Vision helps child laborers find a pathway back to school and assists parents in increasing their incomes so that their families can make education a priority.
