At a top-level briefing, leaders of the United Nations Office in Geneva called for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to help end poverty and child labor.

Vladimir Petrovsky, director-general of the United Nations Office in Geneva expressed his “key interest in NGOs,” and his appreciation for the fact that the number of such organizations in consultative status with the UN was increasing considerably.

“You play a significant role, and you are more and more involved in decision making at the U.N.,” he told the 150 attendees at the briefing. “We look to you for support in the areas of human rights, development aid, peace, security, disarmament and the environment.”

Robert SanGeorge, a child labor specialist at the U.N.-sponsored International Labor Organization, called for a worldwide movement to end child labor.

“It’s estimated that there are 240 million children around the world, with 50 percent of them in full-time labor,” said SanGeorge. “Between 60 and 80 million are caught up in the worst forms of child labor such as prostitution, drug smuggling, and the trafficking of children. We call on governments, trade unions and employers’ groups, NGOs and religious organizations to help eradicate this modern slavery of children.”

Jonathan Gallagher, U.N. liaison director for the Seventh-day Adventist Church, said on behalf of the church’s delegation attending the briefing that he was appalled at such statistics and that the Adventist Church is dedicated to ending poverty and child labor in all its forms.

“This situation is simply unacceptable,” said Gallagher, “and we will continue to work to help end poverty and the exploitation of children. Not only are we concerned with the lack of material aspects of poverty, but also the damage done to the dignity and spiritual side of humanity. Most of all we want to restore to all children a true childhood of innocence in a loving home.  This is fundamental to the beliefs we value most, reflecting our trust in a loving heavenly Father.”