The call to end child labour must recognize challenges faced by poor countries and protect the rights of children forced to work.

Over 150 million children are engaged in child labour worldwide and in the world’s poorest countries, the rate of child labour is about one in four.

The International Labor Organization inaugurated the International Day Against Child Labor, recognized on June 12, in 2002 to raise awareness about the global prevalence of child labour and promote actions to reduce and eliminate labor that may have damaging outcomes for child health and development.

This year, the International Day Again Child Labour highlights the importance of quality education for all children and advocates strong public policies to help ensure access to education. Research has shown a clear link between school attendance and child labour, with many child laborers attending school only part time or not at all.

According the International Labor Organization, Latin America and the Caribbean has seen a significant decline in child labour in recent years, though there are still 5.7 million or 11 percent of children working in the region, primarily in agriculture but also in mining, manufacturing, domestic labour, and other sectors.

But eradicating child labor is a complex goal in a region where many children suffer poverty and are forced to work to fulfill their basic needs. Experts suggest that legislation banning child labour can be a dangerous move, forcing impoverished children into precarious situations of working illegally, making them more susceptible to exploitation in the absence of child labour rights.

In an effort to tackle the reality of child poverty and working children head on and guarantee protections for youth workers, Bolivia introduced a new law last year allowing children as young as 10 years old to work legally. While some criticized the move as a step backward for the country, supporters praised the law for providing rights, protections, and regulated fair wages for children, who otherwise would have been forced to work illegally without rights.

In 2014, 25 Latin American countries signed an agreement to commit to accelerating efforts to eliminate child labour in the region.

IMAGE: In Latin America and the Caribbean, 5.7 million children, or 11 percent of the child population, are engaged in child labour. | Photo: Reuters

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