Today America is taking the day off to celebrate Labor Day, Labor day was established in 1882 when New York City's Central Labor Union created a day off for the working class. In 1894 Congress established Labor Day as a federal holiday in 1894.
As we gather to take a weekend of rest and honor the hard work and labor that has built our nation, let us not forget those 27 million around the globe who are enslaved and forced to work, many never getting a day off, let alone honored for their hard work and efforts. Let us also not forget that this country was also built using the hands of child labor.
Global March Against Child Labor estimates that one in every eight children from 5 to 17 years old, some 179 million, work in the worst forms of child labor. The ILO International Labor Organization estimates that some 80 million plus children under 14 years old work in conditions deemed hazordis to their health. Through the ILO's International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC), they work to prevent and eliminate child labor in all forms, they have have focused urgent and immediate action on the worst forms of child labour, as defined in the ILO Convention on the worst forms of child labour, 1999 (No. 182) , which includes all forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery; such as trafficking, debt bondage or forced labour, child soldiers.
Other Links:
Human Rights Watch (HRW) – Child Labor
U.S. Department of Labor – Youth and Labor
Child Labor Photo Project
UNICEF – Child Labor
