The social and solidarity economy and child labour

Why child labour matters
Child labour remains a critical challenge worldwide, especially in sectors such as agriculture, domestic work and small-scale services. It deprives children of their rights, undermines their development, and perpetuates cycles of poverty and inequality. Addressing child labour is essential to ensuring social justice, protecting human dignity, and advancing inclusive and sustainable development. Children engaged in child labour are often in informal or hidden settings where rights are unprotected and access to education, health and social services is limited. Reducing reliance on child labour requires integrated and community-based approaches that expand decent work opportunities for adults, strengthen protections, and promote access to services and livelihoods.

How the social and solidarity economy contributes
The social and solidarity economy offers values-driven and participatory pathways to prevent and eliminate child labour. Rooted in principles of solidarity, democratic governance and the primacy of people and social purpose over capital, SSE entities contribute by creating decent work opportunities, strengthening income security, and supporting access to care services, including early childhood care and education. By integrating child labour considerations into their internal practices and community outreach, SSE entities can reduce vulnerabilities and address the root causes of child labour. They can also foster awareness, mobilize community engagement, and promote transitions from the informal to the formal economy to help ensure that rights are respected and protected at all levels.

What the ILO does
The ILO works with governments and employers’ and workers’ organizations to promote the role of the social and solidarity economy in addressing child labour. This includes supporting policy dialogue, developing tools for SSE entities such as cooperatives, and providing capacity development to integrate child labour prevention in their operations. The ILO also facilitates exchanges of experiences and good practices to strengthen the conducive environment and develop rights-based and locally embedded responses. In doing so, it aims to support the elimination of child labour and advance systems that protect children, promote decent work for families, and uphold principles of equality, solidarity and social justice.