Nearly a quarter of a billion children around the world are forced to work, most in dangerous conditions, according to a report issued by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) today.
According to the report, A Future Without Child Labour, 73 per cent of
the children - approximately 180 million - are involved in hazardous work such as prostitution and are the subject of human trafficking and bonded labour.
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UNICEF today called on all governments to co-operate with agencies and organisations by signing up to and enforcing international agreements on chidren’s rights.
"We need to see decisive leadership from governments. They are signatories on international treaties banning such practices. It is well past time for them to live up to their obligations. And there is no better time to start taking such action than today, the very first World Child Labour Day,"" said Ms Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of UNICEF.
Last month at the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on Children, governments agreed to a wide-ranging set of goals for the health, education and protection of children. Ms Bellamy today said ending child labour is a key part of UNICEF's overall attempts to reduce poverty and the impact it has on children.
"Child labour reinforces a cruel cycle of deprivation. One on hand it is symptomatic of widespread and deeply entrenched global poverty. On the other hand, because it usually keeps children out of school, in poor health and subject to psychological and physical abuse, it reinforces this poverty by keeping yet another generation from fulfilling anything close to its potential," she said.