International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC)

Juan Diego Flórez: Music offers hope to children

Music heals hearts and helps reduce child labour, says world renowned opera singer, Juan Diego Flórez. He will be one of the judges of the Music Against Child Labour Initiative’s international song competition, launched by the youth music organization Jeunesses Musicales International (JMI), in collaboration with the ILO. The last day for entries is 12 April, 2021.
- The Music Against Child Labour Initiative
Ralph Johnson: Act now to protect our children

The Music Against Child Labour Initiative's international song competition will be judged by Grammy Winner and founder of the band Earth, Wind & Fire, Ralph Johnson.
- 2021 International Year for the Elimination of Child Labour
Laura Pausini: Education and music empowers children

The Music Against Child Labour Initiative's international song competition will be judged by Grammy and Golden Globe Winner, Laura Pausini.
- ILO topic portal on child labour
- ArtWorks – ILO Artists engagement programme
© ILO/Converging against Child Labour Project
Music competition launched to raise awareness of child labour

The competition aims to harness the power of music to help combat child labour, which affects 152 million children worldwide.
- Take part in the competition - Watch the video!
- Music Against Child Labour Initiative

Facts and figures

Worldwide 218 million children between 5 and 17 years are in employment.
Among them, 152 million are victims of child labour; almost half of them, 73 million, work in hazardous child labour.
In absolute terms, almost half of child labour (72.1 million) is to be found in Africa; 62.1 million in the Asia and the Pacific; 10.7 million in the Americas; 1.2 million in the Arab States and 5.5 million in Europe and Central Asia.
In terms of prevalence, 1 in 5 children in Africa (19.6%) are in child labour, whilst prevalence in other regions is between 3% and 7%: 2.9% in the Arab States (1 in 35 children); 4.1% in Europe and Central Asia (1 in 25); 5.3% in the Americas (1 in 19) and 7.4% in Asia and the Pacific region (1 in 14).
Almost half of all 152 million children victims of child labour are aged 5-11 years.
42 million (28%) are 12-14 years old; and 37 million (24%) are 15-17 years old.
Hazardous child labour is most prevalent among the 15-17 years old. Nevertheless up to a fourth of all hazardous child labour (19 million) is done by children less than 12 years old.
Among 152 million children in child labour, 88 million are boys and 64 million are girls.
58% of all children in child labour and 62% of all children in hazardous work are boys. Boys appear to face a greater risk of child labour than girls, but this may also be a reflection of an under-reporting of girls’ work, particularly in domestic child labour.
Child labour is concentrated primarily in agriculture (71%), which includes fishing, forestry, livestock herding and aquaculture, and comprises both subsistence and commercial farming; 17% in Services; and 12% in the Industrial sector, including mining.

Source: Global Estimates of Child Labour: Results and trends, 2012-2016, Geneva, September 2017.

Quick links

ILO Flagship programme

International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour and Forced Labour (IPEC+)

In line with Sustainable Development Target 8.7, IPEC+ focuses on the elimination of child labour in all its forms by 2025 and the eradication of forced labour, modern slavery and human trafficking by 2030.

2017 Global Estimates of Child labour

Results and trends, 2012-2016

The report charts how far we have come and how far we still have to go to honour the commitment to end child labour. It also discusses key policy priorities in the campaign to reach the 2025 target. The report, and the global estimation exercise that underpins it, form part of a broader inter-agency effort under Alliance 8.7 to measure and monitor progress towards target 8.7 of the Sustainable Development Goals.
- Full Report
- Executive Summary
- FAQs
- Regional Briefs: Africa, Americas, Arab States, Asia and the Pacific, Europe and Central Asia
- Methodology
- Press Release
World Report

Ending child labour by 2025: A review of policies and programmes

The latest Global Estimates indicate that 152 million children — 64 million girls and 88 million boys — are in child labour globally, accounting for almost one in 10 of all children worldwide. How can the world community get firmly on track toward eliminating child labour? This report points the way with policy approaches and responses.
Report

Ending child labour, forced labour and human trafficking in global supply chains

The report presents research findings and recommendations on child labour, forced labour and human trafficking in global supply chains. Jointly authored by the ILO, OECD, IOM and UNICEF under the aegis of Alliance 8.7, the report also represents the first ever attempt to measure these human rights abuses and violations on a large scale.