Child labour ban urged: UN highlights plight of youngsters working in disaster and war zones

A child works in a market in Lahore, Pakistan’s second largest city, ahead of the International Labour Organisation highlighting such youngsters’ plight in today’s World Day Against Child Labour.

The United Nations body said 168 million children were engaged in child labour, a “significant proportion” of them in conflict or disaster zones – the focus of this year’s campaign.

The day aims to highlight child labour as part of the UN’S drive to eliminate it by 2025.

However, a previous target of eliminating the worst forms by last year, including the recruitment and use of child soldiers, was not achieved.