Today, throughout the world, around 218 million children work, of whom 152 million are in (forced into)child labour, including 73 million who work in hazardous conditions. Of that 152 million, 64 million are girls and 88 million boys, which translates as almost one in ten of all children worldwide working as child labourers.
According to the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, millions more risk being pushed into child labour as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, which could lead to the first rise in child labour after 20 years of progress.
According to a report by the two UN agencies entitled, “COVID-19 and child labour: A time of crisis, a time to act”, child labour decreased by 94 million since 2000, but that gain is now at risk.
“As the pandemic wreaks havoc on family incomes, without support, many could resort to child labour,” said ILO Director-General, Guy Ryder. “Social protection is vital in times of crisis, as it provides assistance to those who are most vulnerable. Integrating child labour concerns across broader policies for education, social protection, justice, labour markets, and international human and labour rights makes a critical difference.”
“In times of crisis, child labour becomes a coping mechanism for many families,” warned UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore. “As poverty rises, schools close and the availability of social services decreases, more children are pushed into the workforce. As we re-imagine the world post-COVID, we need to make sure that children and their families have the tools they need to weather similar storms in the future. Quality education, social protection services and better economic opportunities can be game-changers.”
Considering the crisis of Covid-19 pandemic, the World Day Against Child Labour 2020 is calling for the protection of children from child labour, now more than ever.
In this regard, Pope Francis has appealed to the international community to protect the numerous boys and girls who, deprived of their childhood, are forced into child labour. Speaking during his weekly general audience on Wednesday, he expressed concern that the Covid-19 lockdown, which has pushed families into conditions of extreme poverty, could force many children into inappropriate jobs.
In 2015, leaders of UN member states committed themselves to achieve the UN’s Agenda for Sustainable Development by the year 2030. The agenda has set 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and improve the lives and prospects of everyone and everywhere. SDG # 8.7 calls for an end to child labour in all its forms by 2025, which is just 5 years away.
For this reason, the UN General Assembly last year adopted a resolution declaring 2021 as the International Year for the Elimination of Child Labour. The resolution highlighted the member states’ commitments “to take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labour in all its forms.” Vatican News
