Despite progress, child labour still affects 138 million children globally – ILO, UNICEF

Nearly 138 million children were engaged in child labour in 2024, including around 54 million in hazardous work likely to jeopardize their health, safety, or development, according to new estimates released by the ILO and UNICEF on Thursday, June 11, indicate.

The latest data show a total reduction of over 22 million children since 2020, reversing an alarming spike between 2016 and 2020. Despite this positive trend, the world has missed its target of eliminating child labour by 2025.

The report, titled Child Labour: Global estimates 2024, trends and the road forward, released one day ahead of the World Day Against Child Labour and on International Day of Play, underscores a stark reality that while gains have been made, millions of children are still being denied their right to learn, play, and simply be children.

“The findings of our report offer hope and show that progress is possible.

Children belong in school, not in work. Parents must themselves be supported and have access to decent work so that they can afford to ensure that their children are in classrooms and not selling things in markets or working in family farms to help support their family. But we must not be blind-sided, we still have a long way to go before we achieve our goal of eliminating child labour,” said the ILO’s Director-General, Gilbert F. Houngbo.

According to the data, agriculture remains the largest sector for child labour, accounting for 61 per cent of all cases, followed by services (27 per cent), like domestic work and selling goods in markets, and industry (13 per cent), including mining and manufacturing.

Asia and the Pacific achieved the most significant reduction in prevalence since 2020, with the child labour rate dropping from 5.6 per cent to 3.1 per cent (from 49 million to 28 million children). Latin America and the Caribbean achieved an 8 per cent relative reduction in prevalence and an 11 per cent decline in total numbers, the report notes.

Sub-Saharan Africa continues to carry the heaviest burden, accounting for nearly two-thirds of all children in child labour – around 87 million. While prevalence fell from 23.9 to 21.5 per cent, the total number has remained stagnant against the backdrop of population growth.

“The world has made significant progress in reducing the number of children forced into labour. Yet far too many children continue to toil in mines, factories or fields, often doing hazardous work to survive,” said Catherine Russell, UNICEF’s Executive Director.

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