Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Fides Agency) - For the first time child-labourers in the world are diminishing, and the phenomenon in its worst forms may be eliminated in the next ten years: it is what the ILO says in its latest report on child labour, titled “The end of child labour: within reach”.
The survey, the second published on child labour four years after the first, was presented and launched worldwide in Brasilia, during the American regional meeting of the ILO.
Between 2000 and 2004, in the world, the number of child labourers has diminished by 11%, from 246 million to 218 million. However, the most significant reduction is in dangerous forms of labour, with a general fall by 26% in the 5-17 age group, with 126 million child labourers in 2004, against the 171 million mentioned in previous surveys. In the 5-14 age group the reduction of dangerous forms of labour reaches 33%. In total, over 1 billion and a half children in the world, 13.9% of them were working in 2004, versus 16% in the 2000. Seven child-labourers out of 10 (69%) are employed in agriculture, while 22% in tertiary industry and 9% in factories.
In spite of the considerable progress in the struggle against child labour, there are still significant challenges to face. The greatest progress in the struggle against child labour, according to the ILO, is reported in Latin America and the Caribbean. In the region the number of child labourers has indeed diminished by 2/3 in the last four years, with only 5% of children between 5 and 14 still employed. The report also sets Brazil as an example of how a country can effectively fight child labour: from 1992 to 2004, the labour activity rate has gone down by 61% in the 5-9 age group and 36% in the 10-17 age group.
Another Country that reported a significant reduction in child labour is Mexico. Even Asia and the Pacific report a reduction in the number of economically active minors. According to ILO estimates, Asia still has the highest number of child labourers in the 5-14 age group (about 122 million).
The slowest progress in the elimination of child labour are reported in Sub-Saharan Africa. With 26%, about 50 million, child labourers, it is the region in the world with the highest amount of economically active children.
The International Labour Organisation was established in 1919, and it transferred to Geneva in 1920, in order to support the conditions of labourers exploited regardless of their health conditions, family life and social situation. (AP) (5/5/2006 Fides Agency)
