During the 73rd General Assembly of the United Nations, it was unanimously decided to adopt  resolution A / 73 / L.101  that declares 2021 as the International Year for the Elimination of Child Labor, thus reaffirming among member states the commitment to adopt measures Urgent and effective measures to end child labor in all its forms, in line with Target 8.7 of the 2030 Agenda.  

The proposed resolution was announced by the Permanent Mission of Argentina in New York, during an event organized by the International Labor Organization (ILO) and Alliance 8.7, within the framework of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, and it was sponsored by 78 Member States. 

It should be noted that the initiative of the International Year for the Elimination of Child Labor was a commitment assumed by the Regional Group of Latin America and the Caribbean ( GRULAC ) during the IV World Conference on the Sustained Eradication of Child Labor (IVCMTI), held in Buenos Aires, Argentina from November 14 to 16, 2017. 

"The Group of Latin American and Caribbean Countries is committed to promoting that the year 2021 be declared, by the United Nations system, the International Year for the Fight Against Child Labor and Protection of Adolescent Workers. Among the reasons for proposing that it is 2021 is because it is the half of the period between now and 2025, and because in that year it will be the V World Conference. This international year would help the world to maintain this growing trend of interest and priority on the subject ". Source:  Promises IV CMTI - Page 14 (Presented by Paraguay in its capacity as President of GRULAC)

This declaration contributes to making visible a reality that affects 152 million boys, girls and adolescents between 5 and 17 years of age throughout the world -10.5 million of them live in Latin America and the Caribbean- and to promote the promotion of multi-stakeholder alliances and the strengthening of public policies that respond effectively to the needs of the most vulnerable groups and address the factors associated with the persistence of child labor in families, communities, territories and productive sectors. 

Child labor is an expression of poverty, inequality and exclusion that puts education, health, safety and even, in some of its worst forms, the very lives of children and adolescents at risk. In the Latin American and Caribbean region, it is a persistent challenge for governments, employers 'and workers' organizations, who have decided to jointly set the goal of declaring the first generation free of child labor, joining forces and seeking innovative responses through the  Regional Initiative for Latin America and the Caribbean free of child labor . 

In this sense, all key actors in the region are invited to join in the preparatory activities for the commemoration of 2021 as the International Year for the Elimination of Child Labor. It will be a moment of visibility; an opportunity for greater awareness; a milestone to show progress, analyze challenges and strengthen commitments and effective action at the social, political and economic level, with a view to achieving  Target 8.7 of the Sustainable Development Goals in 2025 .