The International Labour Organization (ILO) has recently announced that despite efforts to end child labor, 138 million children around the world are still engaged in work.
Gilbert Houngbo, the President of the International Labour Organization, stated on the occasion of World Day Against Child Labor that zero is the only acceptable level of child labor.
He emphasized, “Together, we can put an end to child labor so that all children are in school or playing.”
The organization has also launched a campaign with the slogan “Red Card to Child Labor: Fair Play for Children, Decent Work for Adults.”
The ILO has called for stronger actions in the areas of quality education, social protection, decent work, stronger laws and enforcement, and other measures addressing the root causes of child labor.
The organization added, “Despite progress, 138 million children remain in child labor worldwide, including nearly 54 million in hazardous work.”
Prolonged wars, insecurity, and poverty have forced thousands of children in Afghanistan into hard labor. However, there are no accurate statistics on the number of children engaged in hard labor in Afghanistan.
UNAMA, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, has stated that children, especially girls deprived of education, are more exposed to harmful work and exploitation.
It further noted that children across Afghanistan are engaged in “difficult and dangerous” work in roads, markets, farms, mines, and workshops.
