As the world observes World Day Against Child Labour, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) has reported that nearly 138 million children were engaged in child labor in 2024.
The data was shared by ILO Director-General, Gilbert Houngbo, at the 113th session of the International Labour Conference in Geneva.
According to Houngbo, of the 138 million children, around 54 million are involved in hazardous work that threatens their health, safety, or development. Despite some positive trends, the world has missed its target to eradicate child labor by 2025.
New estimates from the ILO and UNICEF reveal a decrease of over 22 million child laborers since 2020, reversing a concerning increase observed between 2016 and 2020. Houngbo emphasized the need for parental support and access to decent work, which would enable children to remain in classrooms rather than working to support their families.
The data indicates that agriculture remains the largest sector for child labor, accounting for 61% of cases, followed by services (27%) and industry (13%). To accelerate progress, UNICEF and the ILO are urging governments to invest in social protection systems, including universal child benefits, to prevent families from resorting to child labor.
