Child Labour Fight Faces New Challenges Amid Funding Cuts

The global goal to eliminate child labour by 2025 is off track, threatened further by funding cuts, a joint report by the ILO and UNICEF reveals. Despite a near 50% decrease in child labour over 25 years, 138 million children work, with reductions risked by cuts in education and livelihood programs.

The ambitious global goal to eradicate child labour by 2025 is confronting significant challenges, according to a new report by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and UNICEF. Funding cuts have emerged as a critical threat to advancements made in reducing the number of children forced into work.

Over the past 25 years, child labour numbers have nearly halved, yet approximately 138 million children worldwide continued to be involved in labour last year, missing out on crucial opportunities for education and play. UNICEF's executive director, Catherine Russell, underscored that recent positive developments could be overturned without sustained financial backing.

The report highlights the alarming situation of children engaged in hazardous work, particularly in agriculture. While the numbers of working children have decreased by 22 million since 2020, 54 million still face perilous conditions. The majority of child labour occurs in sub-Saharan Africa, stressing the need for reinforced efforts in policy and education to safeguard children's futures.

(With inputs from agencies.)