GENEVA – (ILO News) The International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) of the International Labour Office (ILO) has published its activities report for the years 2008 and 2009.

IPEC’s activities have directly benefited some 300,000 children during this period, either through preventive measures or by rescuing them from child labour practices. Another 52 million children were indirectly benefited by the programme’s work.

IPEC increasingly aims to mainstream action against child labour into national development frameworks, while direct intervention projects remain a cornerstone of its activities.

IPEC was operational in 92 countries during 2008 and 2009, working together with ILO constituents to develop policy and legislative responses to child labour. The need to scale up international and national efforts to tackle child labour will be the focus of attention during a Global Conference on Child Labour to be hosted by the Dutch Government on May 10-11 in The Hague. It will also be the main theme during the World Day Against Child Labour on June 12.