World leaders vow to end child labour

They agreed that children have the right to a safe, educated and healthy childhood. “We will use our voices to protect and amplify the voices of millions of girls, boys and young people as equal citizens of today and decision makers of tomorrow," they said. 

“We reaffirm our unshakable belief that the power of change lies in the infinite and untapped capacities of children and young people for activism, to be instrumental in any change in their own environment, community and society,” stated the Will.

“We will take actions and experiences towards concrete efforts to ending child labour in all its forms, including trafficking of children, and abolishing modern day slavery; we will use our voices to increase awareness in society, and encourage processes that will help monitor and uplift the progresses made through relevant and robust metrics,” the Will said. 

“We will work towards the goal of high quality inclusive and universal education, with an immediate emphasis on getting children out of child labour and into schools. We will support efforts to prevent and end both violence against children, and their exploitation in acts of violence and terror and in situations of conflict, as a matter of urgency,” the Will added. 

On the occasion, Indian President Pranab Mukherjee launched the '100 Million for 100 Million Campaign' organised by Satyarthi's Children's Foundation in which about 5,000 children participated. 

“The world must realise without further delay that there can be no progress unless our children are safe, secure and unless they are provided the freedom and opportunity to become agents of change for the larger good of humanity. To ensure for them a bright, carefree and secure future, devoid of poverty, violence and want is our bounden duty,” Mukherjee said. 

The President said this global effort to mobilise 100 million youth for shaping a better future of 100 million children who are less privileged is the beginning of a change which was long overdue. 

“It is only appropriate that this campaign begins from India, which has one of the largest populations of youth in the world,” he said. 

The ambitious campaign aims to mobilise 100 million youth and children for 100 million underprivileged children across the world to end child labour, child slavery, violence against children and promote the right of every child to be safe, free and educated over the next five years. 

It will channel the energy of 100 million youth for fighting for the rights of the nearly 100 million children who are left out and denied basic rights like education and proper healthcare. 

The First lady of the Republic of Panama, Lorena Castillo de Varela, said they will use their voices to amplify the voices of millions of girls, boys and young people as equal citizens of today and decision-makers of tomorrow. 

"Do not be afraid. We can achieve zero child labour in countries by getting united. I will eradicate child labour from Panama," pledged de Varela. 

Julia Gillard, the first woman to ever serve as Australia's Prime Minister, said young people the world over wants good quality of education. 

"Education is important for development. We should work to ensure that education should be in every part of the world and every single child gets education," said Gillard. 

Madam Tawakkol Karman focused on forming an International Alliance for protection of Child Rights. Popularly known as "Mother of the Revolution" Madam Karman said, "A very big alliance is necessary for the protection of children's rights and the headquarters should be in India." 

The Will also stated that Nobel laureates and world leaders will support efforts to prevent and end both violence against children, and their exploitation in acts of violence and terror and in situations of conflict, as a matter of urgency. 

Mr Ángel Gurría, Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, said they will raise their voices to increase awareness in society, and encourage processes that will help monitor and uplift the progress made through relevant and robust metrics.

Another Nobel Laureate and Liberian peace activist Madam Leymah Gbowee said she has made a commitment for social justice in Africa.