Defining the Crisis
According to estimates from the International Labour Organization (ILO), about 160 million children—almost 1 in 10 worldwide—are involved in child labour, with nearly half of them engaged in hazardous work. Child labour is most prevalent in Africa, followed by Asia and the Pacific.
Defining the Crisis
Child labour refers to the employment of children in work that deprives them of their childhood, interferes with their education, and is harmful to their physical, mental, social, or moral development. While not all work done by children is considered child labour, child labour typically involves tasks that are exploitative or dangerous, preventing children from receiving an education or enjoying a healthy and fulfilling life.
According to estimates from the International Labour Organization (ILO), about 160 million children—almost 1 in 10 worldwide—are involved in child labour, with nearly half of them engaged in hazardous work. Child labour is most prevalent in Africa, followed by Asia and the Pacific.
Definition of Child Labour
The definition of child labour involves work that:- Is mentally, physically, socially, or morally harmful to children.
- Interferes with their schooling by depriving them of the opportunity to attend school, forcing them to leave school prematurely, or requiring them to combine schooling with long hours of heavy work.
Categories of Child Labour
Child labour is classified into three main categories:
Children in hazardous work: Involves activities that expose children to physical, psychological, or moral harm. This includes sectors like mining, construction, agriculture and working in factories.
Worst forms of child labour: This includes slavery, trafficking, prostitution, drug production, and involvement in armed conflict.
However, not all work performed by children is considered child labour. Some light work, such as helping with family businesses or performing household chores, may be permissible as long as it does not interfere with education, health, or well-being.
Regional Overviews
Sub-Saharan Africa
South Asia
With an estimated 43 million child workers, South Asia accounts for nearly 60% of the global child labour workforce. Children are often forced into jobs in agriculture, brick kilns, and the garment sector, as well as in dangerous informal work like mining. Poverty and limited access to quality education drive families to rely on children’s earnings, perpetuating the cycle of child labour. The high demand for cheap, unskilled labour creates a system where employers can exploit vulnerable children.
Latin America
In Latin America, children work in both formal and informal economies, especially in agriculture. Here, children may work as unpaid labour on family farms or plantations, or in urban settings as street vendors. Indigenous children in countries like Guatemala and Peru are often overrepresented, as manual labour is seen as integral to their socialization, despite the harsh impact it has on their education and health. In Honduras, minors do up to 50% of labor-intensive tasks, and young females frequently work 12- to 18-hour hours in industries under exploitative conditions.
Developed Countries
Top 10 Countries by Child Labour Population
Consequences of Child Labour: Global Impact
Impact on Education
Health and Safety Risks
Psychological Impact
Challenges and Barriers to Eliminating Child Labour
- Economic Dependency on Child Labour
In many developing regions, families depend on the income children provide. Poverty is one of the strongest factors pushing children into labor, as families struggle to survive. Even with aid programs, economic challenges continue to drive child labor, especially in rural and low-income urban areas. - Weak Enforcement of Labour Laws
Although many countries have laws against child labor, enforcement remains weak. The informal sector, which employs a large number of child laborers, often operates without oversight. Corruption and inadequate resources further hinder regulatory bodies from enforcing labor laws effectively. - Cultural Acceptance and Social Norms
In certain communities, child labor is culturally accepted, with children expected to contribute to family income from a young age. Some regions view manual labor as character-building, which contributes to its persistence. Additionally, gender biases place more girls in domestic roles, normalizing child labor within households. - Inadequate Access to Quality Education
Access to education is a primary factor in combating child labor, yet many regions lack adequate schooling. High costs, lack of infrastructure, and the necessity of earning an income prevent children from attending school, reinforcing the cycle of poverty and labor. - Demand for Cheap Labor in Global Supply Chains
The global demand for cheap goods, particularly in industries like textiles, mining, and agriculture, indirectly promotes child labor. Companies aiming to cut costs often source materials from areas with minimal labor regulations, where child labor is prevalent. - Impact of Global Crises and Natural Disasters
Global crises like manmade conflicts and natural disasters exacerbate child labor, as families lose their sources of income and children are forced into work to support household needs. These disruptions reverse progress on child labor reduction, especially in areas already facing economic instability. - Limited Global Cooperation and Support
Addressing child labor requires global collaboration, yet some countries lack the necessary international support to address root causes. Coordination between international organizations, governments, and non-profits is often insufficient to meet the complexities of local labor issues
Major Sectors of Child Labour
Agriculture
The agricultural sector accounts for by far the largest share of child labour. The sector accounts for 70 per cent of all those in child labour and for 112 million children in absolute terms. Children in child labour in the services and industry sectors number 31.4 million and 16.5 million, respectively.
Mining
More than 1 million children are engaged in child labour in mines and quarries. This a serious violation of children’s rights that puts children’s health and safety at risk and deprives them of an education. It is a brake on the economic and social development of affected countries, as it limits productivity of work forces for entire generations. It is also a business challenge, because much of the minerals mined by children end up in global supply chains, including those of automobiles, banking, construction, cosmetics, electronics, and jewellery.
Manufacturing and Textiles
UNICEF estimates that more than 100 million children are affected in the garment and footwear supply chain globally – as workers, children of working parents, and community members near farms and factories. There are reports of children, many between the ages of 8-14, producing embellished textiles under conditions of forced labor in India. Children, mostly boys ages 7-17, are forced to produce embellished textiles in Nepal. Cotton from China is on ILAB’s List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor. Based on an analysis of the Ghana Living Standards Survey, an estimated 23,856 child laborers are involved in the weaving of textiles. Children under 14 work in the production of textiles in Pakistan
Domestic Work
17.2 million children are in paid or unpaid domestic work in the home of a third party or employer; of these, 11.5 million are in child labour, of which 3.7 million are in hazardous work (21.4% of all child domestic workers); and 5.7 million, mostly adolescents, in permissible work but need to be protected from abuse and provided with decent work.