Press Release: Universal Children Day – Focus on fight against child labour

Joint Statement of Commissioners Ferrero-Waldner, Ashton, Michel and Špidla
'Some 165 million children between the ages of 5 and 14 are estimated to be currently involved in child labour. Child labour is a grave human rights' violation and undermines efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goal of universal primary education. We will continue in our joint efforts to achieve progress towards our common goal of eradicating child labour.

The fight against child labour is a core commitment of the EU's human rights agenda and needs to be tackled at all levels and through concerted efforts from governments, industry and the international community. The EU pursues a comprehensive approach to the elimination of all forms of child labour, covering political, trade, development and governance dialogue, and actions with regard to poverty alleviation, the labour market, social dialogue and social protection with an emphasis on free and universal primary education... Therefore we encourage all partner countries to ratify and implement the relevant ILO Conventions on child labour.

We will continue our efforts in working with partner countries and international organisations, but also with the private sector, trade unions and non-state actors to promote corporate social responsibility globally. Several programmes of the EU are proof of the wide array of ongoing activities in this field.'

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