On Thursday 19 June, from 1000-1100 at the Houses of Parliament in London, United Kingdom, the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI)and the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on International Law, Justice and Accountability will host an event centred on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), with a particular focus on child labour in mining and related sectors, conflict minerals, the role of UK legislation and conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV). IBAHRI Director Baroness Helena Kennedy LT KC is Vice Chair of the APPG and the IBAHRI acts as Secretariat to the group.
Aine Macdonald, IBAHRI Programme Administrator.
Speakers include:
- Lord Alton of Liverpool - welcome and introductory remarks
- Brendan O'Hara MP, Chair of the APPG on International Law, Justice and Accountability - presenting the DRC Inquiry Report, with particular focus on conflict minerals and UK legislative reform
- Sara Elizabeth Dill, international lawyer - on CRSV and recommendations for the UK government
- Carl Beech and Mark Preston, Freedom and Justice Partnership - on child labour, including a short video presentation
On 12 June - the United Nations World Day Against Child Labour - the IBAHRI reaffirmed its commitment to contributing towards ending the exploitation of children in all its forms. Every child has the right to a safe, healthy and fulfilling childhood - free from forced labour, hazardous conditions and economic exploitation.
Article 32(1) of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) states that children must be protected from economic exploitation and from performing any work that is likely to be hazardous or to interfere with their education, or be harmful to the child's health or physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development. Children are further protected against forced labour by the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No 138 on the Minimum Age and the ILO Convention No 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour , which relates to slavery, human trafficking, the recruitment of children for armed conflict and child prostitution.
The theme for the World Day Against Child Labour in 2025 was 'Progress is clear, but there's more to do: let's speed up efforts!' According to a report from the ILO and the UN agency for children (UNICEF), an estimated 138 million children across the world were engaged in some form of child labour in 2024, including 'around 54 million in hazardous work likely to jeopardize their health, safety, or development.'
Mark Stephens CBE, IBAHRI Co-Chair, commented: 'Despite global progress, millions of children are still trapped in child labour, often hidden within supply chains and informal economies. These children are denied the rights enshrined in the UNCRC, including the right to rest, relax and play. We must hold governments and corporations accountable to ensure that protections are enforced and children are not treated as tools of profit.'
Hina Jilani, Co-Chair of the IBAHRI, remarked: 'On 12 June, the IBAHRI joins the ILO in calling for full ratification of Convention No 138 and the implementation of Convention No 182. Strengthened preventative mechanisms and partnerships are key to eliminating child labour once and for all, achieving the goals set by the Durban Call to Action in 2022. Let us use this World Day not only to raise awareness but to drive concrete action - because no child should have to work to survive.'
