One in 17 children is working: Here are the industries driving child labour | Child Rights News
Child Labour Remains a Global Crisis as Millions of Minors Are Affected
Approximately 2.4 billion minors worldwide are under the age of 18, with nearly 138 million, or about one in 17, engaged in child labor, according to estimates from the International Labour Organization (ILO) and UNICEF. Among these, 54 million work in hazardous conditions that jeopardize their health and safety.
On this year’s World Day Against Child Labour, Al Jazeera highlights the latest statistics regarding child labor, identifies the industries with the highest prevalence, and examines the regions most burdened by this ongoing issue.
Children in Hazardous Work
In 2015, the United Nations set a target to eliminate child labor globally by 2025, a goal that has since passed without the desired outcome. While there has been a decline in the total number of children in child labor, two in five of these children continue to work in hazardous jobs characterized by heavy physical labor, exposure to toxic substances, dangerous machinery, prolonged hours, and unsafe environments.
Among the 54 million children engaged in hazardous work:
- 10.3 million (or about one in five) are aged 5 to 11.
- 12.8 million (about one in four) are aged 12 to 14.
- 30.8 million (approximately four in seven) are aged 15 to 17.
UNICEF and the ILO caution that such work can lead to injuries, illnesses, and long-term detrimental effects on children’s physical and mental development. Many of these children are also unable to attend school, perpetuating cycles of poverty that extend across generations.
Child Labour in Various Industries
Agriculture is the largest sector employing minors, accounting for 61 percent of all child labor cases, which translates to approximately 84 million children working in farming, fishing, forestry, and livestock production. The nature of this work often leads to hazardous conditions, including carrying heavy loads, applying pesticides, and working in extreme climates.
In many rural areas, the demands of child labor conflict directly with academic responsibilities. Children also engage in service sector roles, including domestic work, retail, and hospitality, which make up 27 percent of child labor, while 13 percent work in industrial settings, such as mining, manufacturing, and construction.
Global Child Labour Rates
Child labor is particularly widespread in agriculture, often informal and family-based, making it challenging to regulate. In West Africa, poverty, limited access to social services, and climate-related challenges drive the prevalence of child labor.
Lucia Soleti, acting UNICEF deputy representative for programs in Ghana, reports that over 1.1 million children aged five to 17 are involved in child labor, primarily in agriculture but also in mining, fishing, and domestic work. She emphasized that such labor denies children education and places them in hazardous situations, thus perpetuating intergenerational poverty.
Sub-Saharan Africa is central to this crisis, with 87 million children engaged in child labor—more than all other regions combined. Growth in population, conflict, and economic instability have undermined recent progress toward reducing these numbers. While regions such as Asia and the Pacific have seen significant reductions, child labor remains an intricate part of global supply chains, influencing the production of food, clothing, minerals, and other consumer goods.
Mona Aika, acting chief of child protection at UNICEF in Nigeria, underscored that addressing child labor requires more than training or enforcement. She pointed out that the slow decline in sub-Saharan Africa is attributed to multiple structural issues, including poverty, limited educational opportunities, and lack of robust social support systems.
Aika advocates for stronger child protection frameworks, enhanced access to education, and comprehensive government-led actions to effectively combat child labor.
