Global Petition on Child Labour and the Millennium Development Goals

The continued existence of child labour is an obstacle to achieving the MDGs and, without achieving the MDGs, child labour cannot eliminated. The development goals of achieving the MDGs and eliminating and preventing child labour are inextricably linked and yet child labour remains as an invisible ninth MDG.

While not explicit in the list of eight Goals, eliminating child labour is nonetheless as critical as the others and cuts across the themes of them all. As long as millions children are forced by poverty and others circumstances into situations of exploitative labour, then they will continue to swell the ranks of those out of school.

By signing this petition, you will be adding your voice to make visible the hidden ninth MDG and ensure that the plight of millions of children around the world will be brought to the attention of the UN and the Heads of State attending the MDG Summit in New York from 20-22 September 2010 and beyond into the follow-up action to accelerate progress to achieve the MDGs.

This petition is to ensure that the Heads of State around the world and the UN Keep The Promise of 2015 for child labourers worldwide by:

Mainstreaming child labour into the MDG monitoring and review process.
Establishing child labour indicators for each of the MDGs.
Allocating adequate resources to eliminate and prevent all forms of child labour, including through the establishment of a Global Financial Transactions Tax.
Reinforce coherence across development programmes to ensure more effective and efficient use of development aid, in particular linking the MDG monitoring and review process with the Roadmap for Achieving the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour by 2016.
Global March will present a copy of the petition and signatories to the UN Secretary-General in September 2010 and will maintain the campaign during the follow-up to the MDG Summit.

Your support is vital. We have five short years to considerably accelerate action to achieve the MDGs and eliminate the worst forms of child labour. We cannot allow the international community to continue with rhetoric and fine declarations – now is the time for concrete action and to Keep the Promises of 2015!

http://www.globalmarch.org/events/mdg-summit2010/petition.php