The Global March Against Child Labour (Global March) is a worldwide network of trade unions, teachers’ associations and civil society organisations that work together towards the shared development goals of eliminating and preventing all forms of child labour, slavery and trafficking and ensuring access by all children to free, meaningful and good quality public education.
Global March mobilises and supports its constituents to contribute to local, national, regional and global efforts and support for a range of international instruments relating to the protection and promotion of children’s rights and engage with the United Nations, international, inter-governmental agencies and civil societies on the same, including for:
- The achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- The ratification and implementation of the International Labour Organization (ILO)’s core labour standards, in particular the Child Labour Conventions No. 138 on Minimum Age of Employment and Convention No. 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour
- The implementation of and follow-up to the ILO’s Declaration of the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work
- The implementation of and follow-up to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
- Compiling and disseminating broad framework of knowledge, making the organisation a central point of reference on child labour
- Bringing together a range of stakeholders to build and strengthen a coherent worldwide movement for the elimination of child labour
- Having a clear and measurable impact on policies and programmes related to child labour through advocacy activities carried out in partnership with stakeholders
- Contributing significantly to meaningful and positive social change in favour of children’s rights through informed awareness-raising in partnership with stakeholders
- Strengthening worldwide movement against child labour, slavery and trafficking towards roadmap 2030
Global March seeks to eliminate child labour by questioning, addressing and changing the very systems that compel children to work, at the global, regional and national levels. What is key therefore, in the fight to end child labour, is the need to advocate for policy changes. Furthermore, Global March recognises the critical importance of ensuring that the world continues to fulfil the job left by the Millennium Development Goals and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, in particular the following Goals and Targets for ending child labour, slavery and trafficking and promote education for all:
- Goal 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
- Target 8.7: Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers and by 2025, end child labour in all its forms.
- Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitations, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children.
Mission
The Global March Against Child Labour (Global March) works to ensure that all children can enjoy all their rights, that they have a free quality public education, and that they are protected from doing any work that could harm them or hinder their development.
Global March’s 20 Years Journey