Health crisis, towards an increase in child labor

This Saturday June 12 celebrated World Day Against Child Labor although the International Labor Organization (ILO) and UNICEF fear that millions of children will be pushed to work due to the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Around 218 million children are working worldwide, 152 million of whom are working under duress, and 73 million of them face unsafe conditions. This means that almost one in ten children in the world population find themselves forced to work. While child labor has been on the decline since 2000, this improvement is greatly threatened in the current environment.

"As the pandemic wreaks havoc on families' income without support, many may resort to child labor. Social protection is vital in times of crisis because it provides assistance to those who are most vulnerable. mainstreaming child labor concerns into broader education, social protection, justice, labor markets and human rights policies makes a crucial difference. "said ILO Director General Guy Ryder.

"In times of crisis, child labor becomes a coping mechanism for many families. As poverty increases, schools close and the availability of social services decreases, more children are integrated into the workforce. As we reinvent the post-COVID world, we must ensure that children and their families have the tools they need to weather similar storms in the future. Quality education, social protection services and better economic opportunities can be a game-changer. ", warned in turn UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore.

Many children work full time and find themselves unable to go to school. Many of them do not receive adequate care or good nutrition. The International Labor Organization (ILO) therefore calls more than ever to protect children from this scourge.

ILO launched World Day Against Child Labor in 2002 to draw attention to the global scale of the phenomenon, but also to the measures and efforts required to overcome it. Figures show that more than half of the 152 million child workers are exposed to hazardous conditions or environments, slavery or other forms of forced labor, illicit activities such as drug trafficking and prostitution.

Africa and the Asia-Pacific regions represent nearly nine out of ten working children in the world, with 72 million child workers for Africa and 62 million for the Asia-Pacific region. The rest of child labor concerns the Americas (11 million), Europe and Central Asia (6 million) and then the Arab States (1 million).

The United Nations has put in place a program of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and improve the lives and prospects of people everywhere. SDG No. 8.7 calls for the end of all forms of child labor by 2025.

COVID19: UNICEF calls for $ 1.6 billion to be raised for impacted children

Video by Clara Poudevigne