The big picture
Child labour is work that deprives children of their childhood, potential and dignity, and is harmful to their physical and mental development. It occurs when children are too young to work according to national laws and international labour standards, or when they are engaged in hazardous or otherwise unacceptable work prohibited for all persons under the age of 18. The worst forms of child labour involve slavery, separation from families, exposure to serious hazards, exploitation, and being left to fend for themselves in unsafe environments.
The elimination of child labour is a fundamental principle and right at work, embedded in two ILO conventions: the Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138), and the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182). Convention No. 182 achieved universal ratification in 2020 – a historic milestone that reflects global consensus on the urgency of ending child labour
In September 2015, the international community committed under Sustainable Development Goal Target 8.7 to end child labour in all its forms by 2025. That deadline has now passed, and while significant progress has been made since 2000, the goal remains unmet. The task before us is to accelerate action and ensure that every child is free from exploitation and able to enjoy their right to education, protection and a safe transition into decent youth employment.
How widespread is child labour?
According to the latest Global Estimates of Child Labour 2024, there are 138 million boys and girls aged 5 to 17 years in child labour worldwide, down from 160 million in 2020. Within this total, 54 million are engaged in hazardous work that directly endangers their health, safety and moral development. While this marks a welcome return to progress after the rise captured in the 2020 estimates, the pace of reduction is too slow to meet global commitments, and millions of children remain deprived of education, safety and the chance of a better future.
Child labour is present in all regions of the world, but it remains most prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, where 86.6 million children are affected – representing 23.9 per cent of all children in the region. High prevalence rates are also found in rural economies, informal sectors, and in contexts of crisis, conflict, displacement or environmental disaster.
The 2024 estimates confirm that sustained investment in free, quality education, effective labour inspection, and universal social protection are key to accelerating progress. Evidence also shows that cash transfer schemes and poverty-reduction policies can significantly reduce the risk of child labour. Without a sharp increase in the scale and ambition of action, hundreds of millions of children will remain in child labour well beyond 2030.