Global child labour declines by over 100m, far from eliminated - ILO

The number of children engaged in child labour has fallen by more than 100 million since 2000, said the International Labour Organization (ILO) yesterday, citing new United Nations (UN) data.

Despite this progress, the global goal of eliminating child labour by 2025 remains “out of reach”, it added on X.

“#DecentWorkForAll is more urgent than ever amid global economic uncertainties,” it added.

According to the latest Sustainable Development Goals Report 2025, released on Monday, around 138 million children were involved in child labour in 2024, including 54 million in hazardous work that threatens their health and development.

This marks a decline of over 20 million since 2020 and more than 100 million since 2000, even as the global child population has increased by 230 million.

The report noted that while the world has returned to a trajectory of progress following setbacks caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, efforts still fall short.

“To achieve the target within the next five years, the current rate of progress would need to accelerate 11-fold,” the report stated.

- Bernama

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