UN report urges greater global efforts to end child labour

(May 10, 2010) A new study by the United Nations has warned that efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labour are waning and called for a “re-energized” global campaign to end the scourge. The Global Report on Child Labour, released on Friday by the International Labour Organization, ILO, assessed progress made so far and highlighted the challenges that remain if the goal of eliminating the worst forms of child labour by the target date of 2016 is to be achieved. It noted a “slowing down of the global pace of reduction” – with the number of child labourers worldwide declining from 222 million to 215 million, or 3 per cent, from 2004 to 2008. “Progress is uneven: neither fast enough nor comprehensive enough to reach the goals that we have set,” said Juan Somavia, ILO Director-General. He called for new and large-scale efforts against child labour, adding, “We must scale up action and move into a higher gear.” He said the economic downturn cannot become an excuse for diminished ambition and inaction. The report showed that while Asia-Pacific and Latin America and the Caribbean continue to reduce child labour, sub-Saharan Africa has witnessed an increase. Africa also has the highest incidence of children working, with one in four children engaged in child labour.