Global March Against Child Labor - Overview

Overview

This march began on January 17, 1998 under the leadership of Kailash Satyarthi 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:

1. The marchers' opinions were heavily considered while writing out the draft.
2. 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 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:

• Increase attention and consciousness in regards to child labor
• Encourage the ratification and implementation of surviving child labor and education conventions and laws by states
• Assemble the most achievable national and international resources to sustain education for all children
• Marshal public opinion and engagement against the extensive prejudices contributing to child labor
• 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