RUGMARK Foundation Supports World Day Against Child Labor

Furniture World Magazine

RUGMARK Foundation supports the June 12th World Day Against Child Labor (WDACL) sponsored by the International Labor Organization (ILO). This year’s topic, child trafficking, is a global problem affecting 1.2 million boys and girls who are trafficked each year into exploitative work worldwide, some of whom RUGMARK discovers weaving rugs in South Asia. Since 1994, RUGMARK Foundation has actively worked to end illegal child labor, often stemming from child trafficking, through inspections of looms in India, Nepal and Pakistan. To date, more than 2,000 child weavers have been rescued in India, Nepal, and Pakistan by RUGMARK. These rescued children are protected from child trafficking and benefit from daycare, education and vocational training facilities designed to improve their lives. “RUGMARK Foundation appreciates that this year the ILO is focusing on child trafficking, a problem that has existed throughout the world’s history and continues to grow across all continents and all cultures,” says Nina Smith, executive director, RUGMARK Foundation. “Targeted programs, such as RUGMARK, need to remain focused on offering healthy alternatives to children and their families to either end the ongoing child labor or prevent children from entering the work force in the first place.” There are no accurate statistics of how many people are involved in trafficking, but UNICEF estimates that in the last 30 years, trafficking in women and children in Asia alone has victimized over 30 million people, some of whom end up weaving carpets. Consumers and businesses can help end child trafficking by purchasing rugs with the RUGMARK label. Photographs depicting children rescued by RUGMARK, taken by noted photographer Robin Romano, will be included in the ILO WDACL exhibition, “Red Card to Child Labour” in Tokyo, Japan at the UN House from June 2-13, 2003. Individuals seeking more information about the ILO World Day Against Child Labor or reports on child trafficking can visit http://www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/inf/events/cl2003/index.htm. Details on RUGMARK Foundation can be found at www.rugmark.org or by calling toll-free to 1.866.RUGMARK.