Red Card to Child Labour

In the world, 160 million children – the equivalent of almost 1 in 10 children – are in child labour. 79 million of these children are in hazardous work which is likely to harm their health, safety or morals. This is unacceptable.

The ILO uses the symbol of the Red Card to raise awareness about child labour and rallying support for action to combat it, reaching out to new audiences through the powerful means of football. Football is not only the world’s most popular sport which mobilises entire countries and continents, but also favours principles which the ILO seeks to promote, such as inclusivity and non-discrimination, and reaches out to all regardless of race, gender, religion and level of ability.

The pinwheel featured on the Red Card has become the symbol of the fight against child labour. The five blades of the pinwheel represent the different continents of the world and the wind that makes the pinwheel spin is the will to act and to pass on the message until all countries take adequate measures to end child labour.

The Red Card is widely used around the world, in particular in raising awareness around the World Day Against Child Labour on 12 June. High-profile personalities and artists have shown their support by holding up the “Red Card to Child Labour.”