Commemoration Events Of The World Day Against Child Labour (WDACL), 2025

SUMMARY REPORT OF THE WDACL COMMEMORATION EVENTS 2025

In commemoration of the World Day Against Child Labor (WDACL) 2025, PAACLA Indonesia, in collaboration with the Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas, the Ministry of Manpower, the Ministry of Human Rights, the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection, the International Labour Organization (ILO) Indonesia, JARAK Indonesia, the Indonesian Palm Oil Entrepreneurs Association (GAPKI), ECLT Foundation and other strategic partners, organized a series of activities under the theme: “Let’s Accelerate Action to Eliminate Child Labor!” This theme serves as a reminder that the fight to eliminate child labor is far from over and requires continued collaboration and concrete action from all stakeholders.

The peak of the WDACL 2025 commemoration took place on June 12, 2025, marked by the presentation of the PAACLA Award to companies in the agricultural sector that have contributed to the prevention of child labor through innovative practices. The award ceremony was held at Aryaduta Hotel, Central Jakarta.

A day earlier, on June 11, 2025, another event was held at the National Library building titled “Rabu Seru (Exciting Wednesday): Dare to Dream, Dare to Aspire from an Early Age.” This event was a result of collaboration between JARAK Indonesia and PKPA, with support from PAACLA Indonesia and other partners.

In addition to the above main events, a series of online campaigns have been running since May 2025 to raise public awareness—particularly concerning the elimination of child labor in the agricultural sector. The campaign highlights the importance of protecting children and ensuring their right to grow, learn, and dream.

Series of WDACL 2025 Commemoration Events:

I. Rabu Seru (Exciting Wednesday): Children’s Aspirations and Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration

A day before the peak of the 2025 WDACL commemoration, an event titled “Rabu Seru” (Exciting Wednesday) was held under the theme “Dare to Dream, Dare to Aspire from an Early Age.” The activity took place on June 11, 2025, at the National Library building in Central Jakarta.

“Rabu Seru” was a collaborative effort between JARAK Indonesia and PKPA, with support from PAACLA Indonesia and other partners. The event was attended by approximately 100 participants, including child protection activists, stakeholders from various levels, and child representatives from partner organizations.

On this occasion, children had the opportunity to directly express their aspirations to policymakers and to showcase their talents through various artistic and cultural performances.

II. PAACLA Award 2025: Award for Innovative Practices by Business

The highlight of the WDACL 2025 commemoration was the presentation of the PAACLA Award, held on June 12, 2025, at the Aryaduta Hotel, Central Jakarta. The event was attended by 102 participants representing 44 institutions, including government bodies, businesses and business associations, civil society organizations, academic institutions, UN agencies, international organizations, the United States Embassy, and members of the media.

WDACL 2025 Peak Event

Opening Session

The event began with opening remarks from Nur Hygiawati Rahayu, Director of Manpower at the Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas and Coordinator of PAACLA Indonesia. In her speech, she emphasized that the PAACLA Award is not merely a symbol, but a significant milestone in strengthening synergy towards sustainable agricultural business practices free from child labor.

Another address was delivered by Pribudiarta Nur Sitepu, Acting Deputy for Special Child Protection, through a recorded video message. In his remarks, he expressed appreciation for the efforts of PAACLA Indonesia—particularly the PAACLA Award initiative—and its consistent commitment to contributing to the prevention of child labor in Indonesia.

He also highlighted a concerning increase in the number of child laborers in Indonesia, from 1.01 million in 2023 to 1.27 million in 2024, underscoring the urgency of multi-stakeholder collaboration. He stressed that the partnerships established by PAACLA Indonesia must continue to receive strong support from the government, the business sector, and all relevant stakeholders.

The PAACLA Award ceremony was officially opened by Yuli Adiratna, Acting Director General of Manpower Supervision and Occupational Safety and Health Development at the Ministry of Manpower. In her opening remarks, Yuli Adiratna emphasized the importance of upholding human rights and promoting responsible business practices to prevent children from becoming involved in child labor. He also conveyed the government’s strong support and appreciation to PAACLA Indonesia for continuously inspiring and initiating the implementation of the PAACLA Award.

The PAACLA Award is a collaborative initiative involving PAACLA Indonesia, the Ministry of Manpower, the Ministry of Human Rights, ILO Indonesia–Timor-Leste, the Global Reporting Initiative, ECLT Foundation and JARAK. The year 2025 marks the inaugural year of this award. It is hoped that the award will continue in the years to come, encouraging more companies to demonstrate their commitment to addressing child labor.

Global Latest Situation and Expectations

The PAACLA Award presentation was preceded by a talk show session. Before the talk show began, Simrin Singh, Director of ILO Indonesia and Timor-Leste, delivered a keynote speech. In her speech, Simrin shared the latest global overview of child labor data. She highlighted that the decline in the number of child laborers is encouraging news. However, she emphasized that much work remains to be done, as 138 million children worldwide are still engaged in child labor. She concluded by reinforcing a strong call to action: “It’s not enough, do more!”

Talkshow
The talk show session, which focused on the topic “Responsible and Sustainable Agricultural Business Practices Without Child Labor,” featured speakers from the government, business sector, civil society organizations, and a child representative. The session was moderated by professional moderator, Daryl Adam. Talkshow speakers include:

1. Munafrizal Manan, Director General of Human Rights Services and Compliance, Ministry of Human Rights
2. Evy Rosriani, Senior Manager, Indonesia Global Compact Network
3. Abdul Hakim, National Program Officer, ILO Indonesia and Timor Leste
4. Misran Lubis, ACCLAIM Program Manager, PAACLA Indonesia
5. Gesyha Ayundya Zilfania, Chair of the Kesilir Village Children’s Forum, Jember

Awarding of PAACLA Award 2025 to Companies

The PAACLA Award is designed to recognize companies and supply chains that demonstrate a strong commitment and innovative practices in addressing child labor in the agricultural sector.

The assessment process began in March 2025 and was conducted by a panel of judges with diverse backgrounds and expertise in child protection, child labor, business and human rights. The jury consisted of representatives from the Ministry of Manpower, the Ministry of Human Rights, ILO Indonesia and Timor-Leste, the Global Reporting Initiative, JARAK Indonesia, and the National Secretariat of PAACLA Indonesia.

The assessment was carried out with great care and rigor, focusing on companies and supply chains that had submitted reports highlighting their innovative practices to combat child labor. The assessment was based on four key criteria: innovativeness, impact, sustainability, and replicability of the practices implemented. Following a thorough review, the jury selected seven (7) companies deemed eligible to receive the PAACLA Award in three categories: multinational, national, and local companies. The award recipients are:

1. PT Alliance One Indonesia
2. PT Cargill Indonesia
3. PT Findora Internusa
4. PT Mars Symbioscience
5. PT Minamas Plantation
6. UD Saka Mandiri
7. Universal PT Tempu Rejo

In addition to presenting the PAACLA Award to seven companies, PAACLA Indonesia also conferred a Special Award of WDACL 2025 to GAPKI. This award recognized GAPKI’s strong commitment and continued support in promoting a sustainable and child-friendly agricultural industry.

The WDACL 2025 Special Award was received by Sumarjono Saragih, Coordinator for Human Resources at GAPKI, and was presented by Mrs. Tatyana Sentani Sutara, Vice Chairperson of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce for Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection.

III. Closing

The 2025 WDACL commemoration is expected to serve as both an inspiration and a catalyst for a broader movement to accelerate the elimination of child labor in Indonesia—as every child deserves a safe, fair, and dignified future. This commemoration is not merely ceremonial; it is a reaffirmation of the importance of strong commitment and concrete actions by all stakeholders in addressing child labor, particularly in the agricultural sector.

Sincere appreciation is extended to all parties—government ministries and agencies, the ECLT Foundation, ILO Indonesia–Timor-Leste, GAPKI, and other partners—who have supported and contributed to the success of the 2025 WDACL commemoration, especially the PAACLA Award 2025.