ICFTU OnLine
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Elsinore, November 26 (ICFTU OnLine): Senior trade union leaders signed a new "Charter Against Child Labour" inviting governments, consumers, employers, trade unions and non-governmental organisations to join the international campaign aimed at eradicating a scourge that affects 250 million children world-wide, denying them the chance to go to school.

The Charter was launched today by the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), presently meeting in Elsinore (Denmark) for the annual session of the Confederation’s Executive Board.

"Tens of millions of children are exploited for profit every day. Those who gain from child labour must be stopped and must help undo the damage they have done. They must help to pay for the rehabilitation and education of the child workers." the Charter says.

The ICFTU has long been active in the fight against child labour and the Charter is expected to serve as a mobilisation tool to reach out to yet a wider audience. It also forms part of a new campaign leading up to the adoption next June of a new Convention on Child Labour by the UN’s International Labour Organisation.

The Brussels-based ICFTU is the world’s largest trade union organisation. It groups 211 national trade union centres in 143 countries representing over 125 million workers world-wide.

 For further information, please contact the ICFTU Press Office on: 322 224 0212