The report “Child Labour: Global Estimates 2020, Trends, and the Road Ahead” cautions that progress towards ending child labour has stagnated for the first time in 20 years. According to a new analysis by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and UNICEF, child labour has increased to 160 million children worldwide, an increase of 8.4 million children in the last four years, with millions more at danger owing to the effects of Covid-19.
“Child Labour: Global Estimates 2020, Trends, and the Road Forward” cautions that progress to abolish child labour has stagnated for the first time in 20 years, reversing a previous downward trend that saw child labour reduce by 94 million between 2000 and 2016.
“In the fight against child labour, we’re losing ground, and the last year hasn’t helped matters. Families are being forced to make difficult decisions as we enter the second year of worldwide lockdowns, school closures, economic upheavals, and declining government budgets “Henrietta Fore, the executive director of UNICEF, said in a statement. Saturday is
World Day Against Child Labour, and the United Nations has designated 2021 as the International Year for the Elimination of Child Labour, with a goal of eradicating the practise by 2025.
Here’s what the child labour report said:
- The number of children aged 5 to 11 years who work as children has increased dramatically, accounting for just over half of the overall global figure.
- Since 2016, the number of children aged 5 to 17 working in dangerous conditions has increased by 6.5 million to 79 million.
- The agriculture sector represents for 70% of children in child labour (112 million), followed by 20% in services and 10% in industry (16.5 million).
- In child labour, about 28% of children aged 5 to 11 years and 35% of youngsters aged 12 to 14 years are out of school.
- Child labour is more carry weightage among boys than girls at every age.
The ILO and UNICEF are pushing for comprehensive social protection for all, including universal child benefits, to reverse the growing trend in child labour. They’ve also urged for more money to be spent on free, high-quality education and for all children, including those who left out before Covid-19, to return to school.
