More than half of the children who work throughout the world, some 115 million, do so in dangerous conditions, which put at risk their health, safety and emotional and moral development. Every year throughout the world, 22 000 children die because of work, and many others report accidents and diseases.
Every minute one working child is injured, suffers injury or psychological trauma connected with work.
These statistics are from the SCREAM Programme (Protection of Children's Rights through Education, Arts and Mass Media), initiated by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) for Spain in 2003.
This year, outreach activities included photographic exhibitions with pictures of the living conditions and child labour abuses in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, where children work in the fields, landfills, as domestic servants, construction sites or mines.
Last year in The Hague during the World Conference on Child Labour, the need to eliminate of the worst forms of child labour was highlighted, and a target of 2016 was set.
The ILO’s International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour has brought tangible benefits to children and their families, and estimates that in 2008-2009 more than 52 million children received some benefit through its projects.
Children benefit from services such as education and training, support for income generation, community watch groups who identify at-risk children, legal reforms, policy development and campaigns that help create a protective environment for all children.
One child who received help is Monique, who lives in the Democratic Republic of Congo. She was forcibly recruited by the Mai Mai rebels when she was 14 years old and used as a cook, a spy and fighter.
At the age of 17, Monique was released, with her baby fathered by a Mai Mai combatant.
With skills training in agricultural techniques and entrepreneurship, through ILO partners, she was able to set up a business selling agricultural products. Now she is able to support herself and her family.
These statistics summarise the key findings from the third ILO Global Report on Child
Labour Accelerating action against child labour:
- On average, one child in every seven can be classified as a child labourer.
- In 2008, there were approximately 215 million child labourers, aged 5-17, in the world. Among them, 115 million children were in hazardous work (a term, which is often used as a proxy for the worst forms of child labour).
- Most child labourers are working in agriculture (60.0%). 25.6% work in services, 7.0% in industry and 7.5% work in undefined areas.
- Only one in five child labourers are in paid employment. The overwhelming majority are unpaid family.
- The number of child labourers globally fell by 3% over the 2004 – 2008 period. This is compared with an 11% decline over the 2000 – 2004 period.
- There has been a welcome 15% decrease in the number of girls in child labour. Boys, however, saw their work increase.