Child labour is the exploitation of children through any form of work that deprives them of their childhood, interferes with their ability to attend regular school, or is mentally, physically, socially, and morally harmful. Not all work done by children should be classified as child labour that is to be targeted for elimination. The participation of children or adolescents above the minimum age for admission to work that is considered hazardous or harmful to their health and development, or that interferes with their education, is generally considered child labour.
Child labour is a global issue that prevents children from fulfilling their potential and is a violation of their rights. Most often, child labour occurs when families face financial challenges or uncertainty, whether due to poverty, sudden illness of a caregiver, or job loss of a parent. Contrary to popular belief, most child labourers are employed by their parents rather than in manufacturing or formal economy. Children who work for pay or in-kind compensation are usually found in rural settings as opposed to urban centers. Less than 3% of child labour aged 5–14 across the world work outside their household, or away from their parents.
Child labour can harm children mentally or physically, expose them to hazardous situations, or stop them from going to school. Nearly half of child labourers work under hazardous conditions. Poverty is the primary reason children are sent to work. The most abusive forms of child labour become more widespread in conflict and emergency situations. Children, especially boys, are abducted and forcefully recruited as child soldiers or domestic servants for militant groups. Girls are forced into sex slavery as “wives” for militants, or pushed into other forms of sexual exploitation.
Almost every country in the world has laws relating to and aimed at preventing child labour. The International Labour Organization has been working to eliminate child labour since 1919.
