Child labour increases worldwide for first time in 20 years; ILO, UNICEF issue appeal

Child labour has surged for the first time in at least two decades and the COVID-19 pandemic crisis threatens to push millions of more youngsters to labour, said the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and International Labour Organization (ILO) said in a report published on June 10. Sounding alarm over the increase of 8.4 million children who were forced to do labour, the UN children’s agency and ILO released the report titled ‘Child Labour: Global estimates 2020, trends and the road forward’ ahead of World Day Against Child Labour on June 12. It also stated that the increase in child labour began before the pandemic rocked the world but it would mark a dramatic reversal of the downward trend with numbers shrinking by 94 million between 2000 and 2016.

The official statement said, “The number of children in child labour has risen to 160 million worldwide – an increase of 8.4 million children in the last four years – with millions more at risk due to the impacts of COVID-19, according to a new report by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and UNICEF.”

“Child Labour: Global estimates 2020, trends and the road forward – released ahead of World Day Against Child Labour on 12th June – 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 added.

‘Significant’ rise in number of children aged 5-11

The report also pointed out to “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.”

ILO Director-General Guy Ryder said, “The new estimates are a wake-up call. We cannot stand by while a new generation of children is put at risk...Inclusive social protection allows families to keep their children in school even in the face of economic hardship. Increased investment in rural development and decent work in agriculture is essential. We are at a pivotal moment and much depends on how we respond. This is a time for renewed commitment and energy, to turn the corner and break the cycle of poverty and child labour.”

IMAGE: unicef.org/Twitter