International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC)
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International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC)

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Of 17.2 million child domestic workers, 67.1% are girls and 65.1% are below 14 years
For the second time, the ILO has produced global estimates of children in domestic work based on data from national household surveys.
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Forced and Child Labour
Why definitions matter
Definitions are important in developing reliable data and in guiding action on forced and child labour. They mean we can be held accountable for our efforts to generate change in the name of those who are the most exploited in the world today.
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Learn about
The reintegration of child soldiers
How to help them access decent work
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ILO Blog
'I want to be President'-Malawi's little voices against child labour
Malawi is one of the world's poorest countries, with high rates of child labour, but the situation is slowly improving, partly due to the ILO-IPEC's SNAP project.
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From Pakistan
A dream comes true in a motorbike repair shop
Changing perceptions is sometimes the biggest challenge when it comes to fighting child labour. But dialogue and cooperation is always a good start.
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Third Global Conference on Child Labour, Brasilia
World needs to turn plans to end child labour into urgent action, says ILO chief
“More than ever our focus must be on action and results as well as process,” says Guy Ryder at the end of the Third Global Conference on Child Labour.

  1. Third Global Conference on Child Labour
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Facts and figures

  • Global number of children in child labour has declined by one third since 2000, from 246 million to 168 million children. More than half of them, 85 million, are in hazardous work (down from 171 million in 2000).
  • Asia and the Pacific still has the largest numbers (almost 78 million or 9.3% of child population), but Sub-Saharan Africa continues to be the region with the highest incidence of child labour (59 million, over 21%).
  • There are 13 million (8.8%) of children in child labour in Latin America and the Caribbean and in the Middle East and North Africa there are 9.2 million (8.4%).
  • Agriculture remains by far the most important sector where child labourers can be found (98 million, or 59%), but the problems are not negligible in services (54 million) and industry (12 million) – mostly in the informal economy.
  • Child labour among girls fell by 40% since 2000, compared to 25% for boys.
Source: Marking progress against child labour - Global estimates and trends 2000-2012 (ILO-IPEC, 2013).

News

  1. Why definitions matter
  2. Tribute to Maestro Claudio Abbado
  3. Strengthening Human Security in the border communities of Turkana, Kenya
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Events

  1. Concert dedicated to the struggle against child labour

    4 December 2013, Caja de Música, Palacio de Cibeles, Centro, Madrid - 8 p.m.

  2. Launch of the “Red Card to Child Labour Campaign" in Japan

    28 November 2013, Tokyo, World Bank Tokyo Development Learning Center, 16:30-19:00 (Tokyo time)

  3. Launch of national action plan to combat child labour

    7 November 2013, Baabda Presidential Palace, Lebanon

  4. © K Sovannara/Cambodge Soir /AFP 2014
    ILO information session on child labour

    24 October 2013, Geneva (Switzerland), ILO, Room IX, R2-South, from 18.00 to 20.00

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Just released

  1. Skills and livelihoods training – A guide for partners in child labour projects

    06 February 2014

    This Guide is intended to support individuals and organizations providing skills and livelihoods training for older children through child labour projects.

  2. Impact of India's Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme on child labour

    30 January 2014

    This study examines the incidence of child labour under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), which does not allow for the employment of a person below 18 years of age.

  3. Good practices and lessons learned - Convergence against child labour: support for India's model

    30 January 2014

    India is the first country where the ILO-IPEC worked to develop the convergence model to eliminate child labour. Convergence, not a new concept in India, was applied to develop processes for horizontal and vertical coordination based on the Government of India’s request.

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Highlights

  1. Conference

    III Global Conference on Child Labour - Brasilia, 8-10 October 2013

    The ILO will participate in the III Global Conference on Child Labour which will bring together representatives from government, social partners, civil society, regional and international organizations to share policies and experiences in the global fight against child labour.

    The Conference – organized by the Brazilian Government – will be an opportunity to reflect on the progress made since the previous global conference was held in The Hague in 2010, and to discuss ways to accelerate global efforts against child labour – especially its worst forms.

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