International Labour Organisation Outrageous After Reports Exhibits Figures Of 138 Million Children Worldwide Trapped In Child Labour.

New York; June 2026: Ahead of World Day Against Child Labour on 12th June, the UN is urging governments and communities to accelerate efforts to end a crisis that still affects millions of children worldwide. Today, nearly 138 million children remain trapped in child labour globally, including 54 million engaged in hazardous work that threatens their health, safety and development.

“This is unacceptable – we must accelerate action”, said Gilbert F. Houngbo, Director-General of the International Labour Organisation (ILO). He called for renewed global commitment through expanded access to decent work, education, social protection and stronger legal safeguards.

This year’s theme, “Red Card to Child Labour: Fair play for children, decent work for adults”, highlights the need to ensure every child can learn, play and grow up in a safe environment.

The 2026 World Day comes at a decisive moment, following the Sixth Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour in Marrakech, which reaffirmed the need to accelerate progress and turn commitments into concrete results. Under the slogan “Red card to child labour: Fair play for children, decent work for adults”, the campaign calls for stronger action on quality education, social protection, decent work, stronger laws and enforcement, and other measures that address the root causes of child labour. Despite progress, 138 million children remain in child labour worldwide, including nearly 54 million in hazardous work. On this World Day Against Child Labour, raise the Red card to child labour and help turn the Marrakech commitments into real change for children, families and communities everywhere.

The recently adopted “Marrakech Global Framework for Action against Child Labour” aims to provide a roadmap to reach that goal, focusing on decent jobs for parents, universal access to quality education, stronger social protection systems and reinforced laws and institutions. For the first time, the framework also introduces measurable indicators and an accountability mechanism designed to track implementation and maintain momentum, beyond the 2030 target date. “Together, let us act with urgency and determination to end child labour”, Director General Gilbert Houngbo urged.

Marrakech Global Framework for Action against Child Labour –

We, the representatives of governments, employers’ organisations and workers organisations, in collaboration with United Nations agencies, international and civil society organisations, businesses, children and academic institutions, gathered in Marrakech from February 11 to 13, 2026 on the occasion of the 6th Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour;

Recalling target 8.7 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, to end child labour in all its forms by 2025; the ILO Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) and the ILO Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138); the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, 1998, as amended in 2022; and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, in particular Articles 32 and 12;

Reaffirming the importance to the elimination of child labour of the fundamental principles and rights at work, which are universal human rights and immutable, inseparable, interrelated and mutually reinforcing;

Reaffirming the importance of employers’ organisations and workers’ organisations and the central role of social dialogue in the elimination of child labour; Recognising that solutions to combat child labour require a human rights-based and survivor-centered approach – one anchored in the core principles of accountability, participation, empowerment and transparency in policy and programmatic responses;

Building upon the commitments and outcomes of the Second World Summit for Social Development, 2025, and of previous Global Child Labour Conferences, in particular the 5th Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour, 2022, and the Durban Call to Action on the Elimination of Child Labour, which remain highly relevant and which have not been fully implemented;

Recognising that situations of armed conflict heighten the risk of child labour and that peace and stability are essential conditions for the elimination of child labour;

Recognising the emerging challenge posed by online exploitation of children, a phenomenon that requires the formulation and implementation of specialised regulatory and intervention strategies capable of ensuring its effective prevention and response;

Recognising that the African region is a source of innovation and globally-relevant good practices against child labour, but that the prevalence and absolute numbers of children in child labour are highest there and a particular focus on Africa is urgently needed;

Alarmed that target 8.7 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) has not been met and there are still 138 million children in child labour, 54 million of whom are in hazardous work, and 79 million of whom are aged between 5 and 11;

Stressing the importance of prioritizing the elimination of child labour in international sustainable development frameworks, including in the post-2030 Agenda;

Encouraging enhanced international cooperation based on solidarity and shared responsibility to support the efforts of countries in the global South to advance towards the elimination of child labour in a fair, inclusive and sustainable manner.

Team Maverick.