Tanzania marks World Day against Child Labour with strong call for action and renewed commitments

Dodoma, Tanzania (ILO News) - The International Labour Organization (ILO), in collaboration with the Government of Tanzania, commemorated the World Day Against Child Labour (WDACL). The event focused on showcasing the progress made and renewing - coordinated and urgent action to eliminate child labour in all its forms. This year’s global theme, “Progress is clear, but there's more to do let's speed up efforts!”, underscored both achievements and remaining challenges.

The day’s activities began with a joint press conference hosted by the ILO and the Prime Minister’s Office (Labour, Youth, Employment and Persons with Disabilities). Speaking on behalf of the ILO Country Director, Ms. Glory Blasio highlighted a 10% decline in child labour in Sub-Saharan Africa over the past five years, with a similar trend observed in Tanzania between 2014 and 2021. These figures were based on the 2020/21 Integrated Labour Force Survey and the 2024 ILO-UNICEF Global Estimates of Child Labour.

Despite the positive trend, Ms. Blasio acknowledged that the global goal set under SDG 8.7 to eliminate child labour in all its forms by 2025 is unlikely to be achieved. She called for urgent focus on the agricultural sector, where more than 80% of hazardous child labour is concentrated. Nevertheless, she commended Tanzania for its leadership in the implementation of the Cotton with Decent Work project, a partnership project with Brazil that is fostering peer learning and developing integrated solutions to address child labour in agriculture.

Deputy Minister Hon. Patrobas Katambi reaffirmed the Government of Tanzania’s commitment to protecting children's rights. He emphasized that while children must be encouraged to learn and develop skills, any form of work that deprives them of education, health, and a safe upbringing is unacceptable.

© ILO

© ILO

He reiterated that the national child labour rate has declined from approximately 35% in 2014 to 25% in 2025, thanks in part to firm policy and legal actions. These include the ratification of ILO Conventions 138 and 182, with Tanzania now in the final stages of ratifying Convention No. 189 on Decent Work for Domestic Workers an important step in addressing child labour in domestic settings.

Hon. Katambi appreciated the collaborative efforts between Tanzania, the ILO, and the Government of Brazil, noting that lessons from the cotton sector initiative will help shape interventions across other sectors. Reaffirming the government’s position, he stated, “Child labour has no place in Tanzania.”

The Deputy Minister issued a firm warning to employers, urging them to avoid any involvement in child labour, and emphasized that those found in violation will face legal consequences. He instructed the Labour Commissioner’s office to conduct special inspections within two weeks, covering all workplaces including those in the informal and semi-formal sectors to identify and address any instances of child labour. He also encouraged the public to report suspected cases to enable timely and effective government intervention.

To reinforce this year’s message, the commemorations included targeted child labour inspections in Simiyu, Shinyanga, and Mwanza regions focusing on cotton-growing communities and gold-mining districts. These efforts aimed to identify child labour hotspots, withdraw affected children, and raise awareness among local populations.