Percentage of children aged 5 to 14 years in own-use production work

Child labour takes a heavy toll on children in terms of their mental, physical, social, or moral well-being.

According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), over 160 million children were engaged in child labour globally as of 2020.

Most child labour occurs in agriculture, followed by services and industry.

It is more common in low-income countries, but exists across all regions.

The ILO emphasises that child labour can interfere with schooling and long-term development.

Eliminating child labour requires access to quality education, social protection, and decent work for adults.