Every child is our child. Raise your voice now to end #childlabour!

Dear Changemaker,

Every year as we come together to celebrate World Day Against Child Labour, my faith in each one of you strengthens, that one day you all will play a leading role in restoring safety, liberty, dignity and education for all children of the world. And that day starts today.

Today, 168 million children are exploited in labour, to meet the demands of our everyday lives and material desires. While these children work at the cost of their freedom and childhood, about200 million adults remain jobless across the world and a direct co-relation can be easily established for both these situations. This is the harsh reality of today's world.

Compassion is a wealth that each one of us is born with. Then why don't we feel the same compassion for each and every child on this planet, even the child labourers? If we, like any other were endowed with the right to our childhood, how can we take away the same right from someone else? Link

With 168 million children still in child labour, all business supply chains run the risk that child labour may be present. We are party to the menace of child labour if we keep on buying products made by children. Most brands advertise their products as "not tested on animals" but not many disclose, child labour in their supply chains. You will rarely see brands marketing their products as"Child Labour Free" because we are okay with child labour. We condemn and boycott products tested on animals then why not speak up against products made by children. They too are human beings. And let me remind you, every hour a son, a daughter is being sold like animals; probably cheaper. This has to stop! 

It is still not too late to change this harsh reality for millions of children trapped to work for businesses, sacrificing their desire to be educated. Like you, many people took a stand to boycott items made by child labourers in the year 2000 and beyond, when there were 246 million children engaged in labour, and decided to do their bit. It is time that you do your bit. On this mass day of pledging, I urge you to instill within you the value of being a responsible consumer and pledge to buy items that are #notmadebychildren.

Let's hold hand of every child left-behind and take them from exploitation to education. 
 
Yours,
Kailash Satyarthi
(on behalf of our children)