The global march against child labour came about in 1998, following the significant response concerning the desire to end child labour. It was a grassroot movement that motivated many individuals and organizations to come together and fight against child labor and not an annual march. The main goals of this movement were to: "Protect and promote the rights of all children, especially the rights to receive free, meaningful education" "To be free from economic exploitation and from performing any work that is likely to be damaging to a child's physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development". The march was very successful and it achieved its purpose by allowing changes to occur with the policies of child labour with the International Labour Organization (ILO) The United Nations declared 2021 as the International Year for the Elimination of Child Labour. Organizations that are involved Currently, there are many organizations that supported the cause of the global march: Education International Oxfam International Action Aid World Vision Social Alert World Confederation of Teachers Save the Children Fund (UK) Public Services International (PSI) Free The Children Mani Tese International Steering Committee An International Steering Committee (membership is pulled from almost every continent) for the Global March against child labor was formed and consisted of: African Network for the Prevention and Protection Against Child Abuse and Neglect in Kenya Anti-Slavery International in the United Kingdom Education International in Belgium FundaHao ABRINQ in Brazil International Labor Rights Fund in United States of America Network against Child Labour in South Africa Novib in the Netherlands Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Center for Human Rights in the United States of America South Asian Coalition on Child Servitude in India Terre des Hommes-Suisse in Switzerland Benefits This march was important to children because it discourages them to experience economic exploitation in the labor field such as human trafficking. The policies that were introduced through this march emphasized highly on education. When children are educated it helps the economy since they are more likely to get out of their poverty stricken situation. By limiting education, it is limiting the prosperity Origins of the march The march had 140 different countries that participated the act with thousands of partners. It consisted of events, rallies, foot marches and bus caravans. The first country that began the march was in Manila, Philippines on 17 January 1998. The marches took place in Asia, Africa, Latin America