Pandemic could wipe out child labour gains since 2000 - UN

The gains made in ending child labour over the past 20 years is at risk of being reversed by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the UN’s International Labour Organization (ILO) said in a new report.

In the report, the ILO appealed to governments to continue investing in measures that have helped reduce the number of children working by

94 million since 2000. Current global estimates indicated that 152 million children were working. “As the pandemic wreaks havoc on family incomes, without support, many could resort to child labour,” said Guy Ryder, director-general of the ILO, marking the World Day Against Child Labour.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) added in a statement that more than 70% of working children (108 million) worked in agriculture. Progress in eliminating child labour in the sector had been slow due to limited government legislation and oversight in hard-to-reach areas, a fragmented labour force, and lack of unionisation, the FAO said. In addition, the majority of child labourers worked as unpaid family labour without formal contracts, in keeping with longstanding traditional practices.

The problem was particularly severe in Africa, where one in five children was involved in child labour, which the FAO defined as “activities that could physically and mentally harm and/or deprive children of their education, childhood and the potential to have a healthy and promising future”. – Staff reporter