Nepal Faces Persistent Child Labour Challenge as ILO Calls for Stronger Provincial Action

“Provinces can connect the dots between federal and local governments, and across education, social services and labour administration,” Özcan said.

Nepal continues to face a significant challenge in eliminating child labour, with 1.1 million children engaged in child labour nationwide, including 220,000 in hazardous work, according to national estimates. Despite notable progress in recent years, child labour remains entrenched in sectors such as brick kilns, woollen carpet production and entertainment, underscoring the need for stronger, coordinated action across all levels of government.

Against this backdrop, the International Labour Organization (ILO) Nepal is intensifying collaboration with federal, provincial and local authorities to reinforce child labour elimination and strengthen child protection systems.

ILO Calls for Integrated, Province-Led Responses

As part of these efforts, Numan Özcan, ILO Country Director for Nepal, visited Hetauda and Chitwan in Bagmati Province, where he addressed a provincial dialogue on child labour and child protection. He highlighted both global and national trends and urged authorities to adopt integrated, multi-dimensional approaches.

“Provinces can connect the dots between federal and local governments, and across education, social services and labour administration,” Özcan said. “This ensures that Child Labour Free Zone initiatives are not one-off events, but part of a functioning, sustainable system.”

Scaling the Child Labour Free Zone Approach

Nepal’s Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security (MoLESS) is implementing the Second National Master Plan (NMP-II) to eliminate child labour, with technical support from the ILO’s Partnership for the Promotion of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (PPLL) Project.

A cornerstone of NMP-II is the area-based Child Labour Free Zone (CLFZ) approach, which empowers local governments to lead elimination efforts through:

• Baseline surveys

• Stakeholder orientation

• Local monitoring and referral systems

To date, 12 municipalities and rural municipalities have completed the CLFZ declaration process, while more than 200 local governments have engaged in the approach in recent years.

Strengthening Child Protection Systems

Recognising that sustainable progress requires continuous monitoring and coordination, the ILO-PPLL Project has partnered with the National Child Rights Council (NCRC)—Nepal’s statutory body responsible for enforcing and monitoring child rights.

With ILO technical support, NCRC recently organised:

• A provincial dialogue on child labour and child protection in Hetauda

• A two-day training programme for frontline actors in Ratnanagar Municipality, Chitwan

The training focused on child labour measurement, detection and monitoring, CLFZ implementation, and targeted interventions to reach children in hazardous and hidden forms of work.

Global Context, National Urgency

Globally, 138 million children remain in child labour, according to ILO–UNICEF estimates published in 2024, highlighting the scale of the challenge Nepal faces as part of a wider global effort.

Özcan also commended Nepal for its timely reporting to the ILO’s Committee of Experts on Conventions No. 182 (Worst Forms of Child Labour) and No. 138 (Minimum Age), both ratified by the country.

Data to Drive the Next Phase

Looking ahead, the ILO is working with Nepal’s National Statistics Office to prepare the next Labour Force Survey, which will generate updated national and provincial data on child labour, including hazardous work. The data will help guide policy priorities and accelerate progress toward SDG Target 8.7, under which Nepal is a Pathfinder Country.

The ILO reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Government of Nepal, workers’ and employers’ organisations, and civil society partners to eliminate child labour nationwide and strengthen child protection systems for the long term.