Over seventy percent of all child labourers work in agriculture. From tending cattle, harvesting crops, to handling machinery or holding flags to guide planes spraying pesticides, over 132 million girls and boys, aged 5 to 14, help produce much of the food and drink we consume, and the fibres and primary agricultural materials that we use. The numbers of course vary from country to country but it is estimated that at least ninety percent of economically active children in rural areas in developing countries are working in agriculture. Child labour in agriculture is not confined to developing countries - it is also a serious problem in industrialised countries.
A large number of these children carry out hazardous child labour, which is work that can threaten their lives, limbs, health and general well-being. On farms and plantations of all types and sizes, these child labourers carry out jobs or tasks, which put their safety and health at risk. In terms of loss of life, accidents and work-related ill health, agriculture is one of the three most dangerous industries in which to work (along with mining and construction)
Highlights
IPEC Training resource pack on the elimination of hazardous child labour in agriculture
This training resource pack is targeted at smallholding farmers in the crop sectors where children are likely to be working, and supports improvements in workplace safety and health that will benefit adults as well as children. Its purpose is to promote grassroots, village/community-based training of farmers on the elimination of hazardous child labour in agriculture by fellow farmers, who themselves have been trained as trainers using the Pack.
IPEC Tackling hazardous child labour: Guidance on policy and practice
This material provides policy-makers with information and ideas to plan, formulate and implement policies and programmes to tackle hazardous child labour in agriculture. It is targeted at policy-makers in child labour departments, agricultural ministries and other government departments, agricultural extension services, employers' organizations, trade unions, agencies, occupational safety and health agencies/institutions and other stakeholder organizations. The package contains six guidebooks