LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the observance of World Day Against
Child Labor on June 12, 2010

WHEREAS, The State of New York takes great pride in acknowledging days
of recognition of important issues; and
WHEREAS, Hundreds of millions of girls and boys throughout the world
are engaged in work which deprives them of adequate education, health,
leisure, and basic freedoms; and
WHEREAS, Of these children, more than half are exposed to the worst
forms of child labor, such as work in hazardous environments, slavery,
or other forms of forced labor, illicit activities such as drug traf-
ficking and prostitution, as well as involvement in armed conflict; and
WHEREAS, Since 2002, World Day Against Child Labor has been observed
each year on June 12 under the auspices of the United Nations' Interna-
tional Labor Organization's (ILO) International Program on the Elimi-
nation of Child Labor, and is intended to serve as a catalyst for the
growing worldwide movement against child labor; and
WHEREAS, This year World Day Against Child Labor is being marked
around the world with activities in keeping with this year's theme, "Go
For the Goal... End Child Labor"; and
WHEREAS, The ILO has estimated that some 165 million children between
the ages of 5 and 14 are involved in child labor, many of whom work long
hours, often in dangerous conditions; and
WHEREAS, Child labor is closely associated with poverty; the family
may depend on the contribution a working child makes to the household's
income and may place more importance on that than on education; many
poor families are unable to afford school fees or other school costs;
and when a family has to make a choice between sending either a boy or
girl to school, it is often the girl who loses out; and
WHEREAS, More than ever, today, children need a good education and
training if they are to acquire the skills necessary to succeed in the
labor market and be able to take care of themselves and their families;
however, in many countries the schools which are accessible to poor
families are under-resourced and inadequate, and poor facilities, over-
sized classes, and lack of trained teachers lead to low standards of
education; and
WHEREAS, In its Millennium Development Goals, the United Nations and
the broader international community have set targets of ensuring that,
by 2015, all boys and girls complete a full course of primary education
and that there be gender parity in education, laudable targets which
cannot be met unless the factors which generate child labor and prevent
poor families from sending children to school are addressed; and
WHEREAS, The right to education occupies a central place in human
rights as well and is essential for the exercise of other human rights
and development; education provides a means by which economically and
socially excluded children and youth can lift themselves out of poverty
and, when children who have had the benefit of an education grow up,
they are more likely to choose to send their own children to school; and
WHEREAS, Investing in education is also a sound economic decision; a
recent ILO study found that the elimination of child labor and its
replacement by universal education would yield major economic benefits
in addition to the social benefits and that, globally, such benefits
exceed costs by a ratio of more than 6 to 1; and
WHEREAS, The observance of World Day Against Child Labor 2010 provides
an opportunity to raise awareness of the important issue of child labor
around the world and of the role education can play in its elimination;
now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the observance of World Day Against Child Labor on June 12,
2010.