During his General Audience, on January 8, Pope Francis dedicated his catechesis to the "scourge" of child labour, urging Christians to reject indifference toward the exploitation and suffering of children.
Iqbal Masih, a 12-year-old Catholic child activist, received a civilian award for his act of bravery and for working for the welfare of children who were forced to work in the carpet industry in Pakistan.
Pope Francis addresses participants in an international conference that discusses the need to eradicate child labour, and calls for coordinated initiatives and joint efforts at all levels to fight the scourge.
