DESPITE years of progress, global efforts to eliminate child labour have stalled and even reversed in recent years. From 2000 to around 2016, steady improvements were made in reducing child labour. However, the resurgence of poverty driven by conflicts, climate-related disasters, economic instability, and the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed millions of families into hardship, forcing more children into the workforce. Economic growth alone has not been inclusive or impactful enough to ease the pressure faced by vulnerable families. As a result, 160 million children – nearly one in ten globally – are currently involved in child labour.

Geographically, the burden of child labour is concentrated in Africa and the Asia-Pacific regions, which together account for nearly 90 per cent of all affected children. A total of 11 million children are victims of child labour across the Amer­icas, six million in Europe and Central Asia, and one million in the Arab States. When look­ing at the percentage of chil­dren affected, five per cent of all children in the Americas, four per cent in Europe and Central Asia, and three per cent in the Arab States are engaged in child labour.

Interestingly, while low-income countries show the highest percentage of child labour, most children involved in child labour live in mid­dle-income nations. Specifi­cally, nine per cent of children in lower-middle-income coun­tries and seven per cent in up­per-middle-income countries are engaged in child labour. In total, 84 million children in child labour – representing 56 per cent of the global figure – live in middle-income nations, with another two million in high-income countries.

Many of these children are trapped in a cycle of pov­erty and hardship. Children born into poor families often have limited access to edu­cation and are forced to work to support their households. They take on responsibilities far beyond their years just to help meet basic needs like food and shelter. In many cases, they are exploited by employers and intermediaries who offer low pay and assign work that is dangerous or inappropriate for their age and development.

A combination of poverty, inequality, conflict, and inadequate protections for children drives child labour. It is a global issue that demands urgent collective action. Governments, communities, businesses, and individuals must come together to break this cycle and protect the rights and futures of children. Eradicating child labour requires more than policy – it requires compassion, com­mitment, and collaboration on a global scale to ensure every child can grow up in safety, with access to education and opportunity.