Child Labour Network to Launch “Stop! Child Labour Campaign 2026” from May 15 to June 30

The Child Labour Network (CL-Net), whose secretariat is operated by certified NPO ACE, will run the “Stop! Child Labour Campaign 2026” from Friday, May 15 to Tuesday, June 30, 2026. As the opening of the 2026 World Cup coincides with World Day Against Child Labour on June 12, the campaign calls on everyone to take part in actions that expand society’s “fair play” toward a future without child labour. Child labour in the soccer ball industry became a global issue in the 1990s, but through joint efforts by consumers, companies and the broader industry, it is now officially considered to have been almost eliminated. However, beyond the soccer ball industry, an estimated 138 million children worldwide are still engaged in child labour, and SDG Target 8.7, which aimed to eliminate all forms of child labour by 2025, was not achieved. The campaign aims to reach the goal of a world without child labour by encouraging citizens to raise their voices and call for cooperation across society. In reference to the estimated 138 million child labourers worldwide, the campaign has set a target of 13,800 actions, including photo posts, donations and social media sharing. Each action will be linked to a 100 yen donation, helping broaden awareness of child labour as each participant publicly expresses their stance. In the 1990s, about 70 percent of the world’s hand-stitched soccer balls were produced in Sialkot, Pakistan, where around 7,000 child labourers were identified, drawing major international attention. In response, NGOs including ACE launched a campaign in Japan around the 2002 Japan-Korea World Cup to promote the use of soccer balls made without child labour. Since then, international organizations, NGOs and industry groups have worked to ensure that racism and human rights abuses have no place in soccer, a sport loved around the world. The near elimination of child labour in the soccer ball industry is seen as evidence that companies, consumers, stakeholders and entire industries can work together to prevent and eradicate child labour. At the same time, child labour may still exist in less visible settings such as homes, meaning complete elimination has not yet been achieved. According to the latest estimates published in 2025 by the ILO and UNICEF, around 138 million children worldwide are engaged in child labour, including about 54 million in hazardous work. The report warns that efforts must accelerate to about 11 times the current pace in order to meet the final SDG targets by 2030. Child labour is not a distant issue; it is closely connected to our consumption behavior and can be changed through society-wide action, including corporate procurement, consumer choices, education and policy advocacy. In response to the ILO’s global campaign, this initiative will carry out a “Red Card to Child Labour” action. Participants can post photos of themselves holding up a red card on social media with the hashtag “#ストップ児童労働.” For each post, sponsor companies will donate 100 yen to the Child Labour Network, supporting member NGOs working toward zero child labour. Participants can also use online backgrounds, download awareness materials or make direct donations through Syncable. The campaign runs under the name “Stop! Child Labour Campaign 2026” from May 15 to June 30, 2026. Its themes are “Your action becomes a 100 yen donation” and “When will child labour reach zero? Pass the ball and aim for the goal.” The campaign target is 13,800 actions, equivalent to 1.38 million yen in total donations. It is organized by the Child Labour Network (CL-Net), with certified NPO ACE serving as secretariat and Owls Consulting Group as sponsor. The Child Labour Network (CL-Net) is a network of NGOs, labour unions and other organizations that share concern about child labour and aim to contribute from Japan to solving the issue. ACE is an NGO working to protect children’s rights and eliminate and prevent child labour. Its activities include protecting children from hazardous labour in cocoa-producing areas of Ghana, raising awareness of child labour in Japan, and advocating to the Japanese government, the Ghanaian government and Japanese chocolate companies. ACE was founded in 1997 by five students to organize the Japan leg of the Global March Against Child Labour, launched at the call of Indian human rights activist Kailash Satyarthi, who later received the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize. In March 2023, ACE became the first international NGO to receive the SDGs Promotion Headquarters Chief’s Award, the Prime Minister’s award, at the 6th Japan SDGs Awards.