News Center - The International Labour Organization (ILO) and UNICEF has released its report titled, “Child Labour: Global estimates 2020, trends and the road forward” ahead of World Day Against Child Labour on 12th June. The number of children in child labour has risen to 16 million worldwide, according to the report.

The report warns that progress to end child labour has stalled for the first time in 20 years, reversing the previous downward trend that saw child labour fall by 94 million between 2000 and 2016.

It will increase by nine million by the end of 2022

The report also warns that globally, nine million additional children are at risk of being pushed into child labour by the end of 2022 as a result of the pandemic.

The report points to a significant rise in the number of children aged 5 to 11 years in child labour, who now account for just over half of the total global figure. The number of children aged 5 to 17 years in hazardous work, defined as work that is likely to harm their health, safety or morals, has risen by 6.5 million to 79 million since 2016.

“We are losing ground in the fight against child labour, and the last year has not made that fight any easier,” said UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore. “Now, well into a second year of global lockdowns, school closures, economic disruptions, and shrinking national budgets, families are forced to make heart-breaking choices. We urge governments and international development banks to prioritize investments in programs that can get children out of the workforce and back into school, and in social protection programs that can help families avoid making this choice in the first place.”

Number of children in child labour in sub-Saharan Africa

The report highlights that population growth, recurrent crises, extreme poverty, and inadequate social protection measures in sub-Saharan Africa have led to an additional 16.6 million children in child labour over the past four years.

Other key findings in the report include:

·         The agriculture sector accounts for 70 per cent of children in child labour (112 million) followed by 20 per cent in services (31.4 million) and 10 per cent in the industry (16.5 million).

·         Nearly 28 per cent of children aged 5 to 11 years and 35 per cent of children aged 12 to 14 years in child labour are out of school.

·         Child labour is more prevalent among boys than girls at every age. When household chores performed for at least 21 hours per week are taken into account, the gender gap in child labour narrows.

·         The prevalence of child labour in rural areas (14 per cent) is close to three times higher than in urban areas (5 per cent).

Children in child labour are at risk of physical and mental harm. Child labour compromises children’s education, restricting their rights and limiting their future opportunities, and leads to vicious inter-generational cycles of poverty and child labour.

To reverse the upward trend in child labour, the ILO and UNICEF are calling for:

 

·         Adequate social protection for all, including universal child benefits.

 

·         Increased spending on quality education and getting all children back into school - including children who were out of school before COVID-19.

 

·         Promotion of decent work for adults, so families don’t have to resort to children helping to generate family income.

 

·         An end to harmful gender norms and discrimination that influence child labour.

 

·         Investment in child protection systems, agricultural development, rural public services, infrastructure and livelihoods.