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MANILA, Philippines. — Despite major gains in minimising child labour, there remains 152 million children engaged in forced work according to the new report by the International Labour Organisation.

The new ILO research, conducted together with the Walk Free Foundation and the International Organisation for Migration, said that this figure accounts for almost 1 in 10 children globally. Some 88 million of this number are boys. Half or 73 million children are engaged in hazardous labour that “directly endangers their health, safety and moral development.”

Children aged 5 to 11 years old make up the largest share of child workers and those engaged in hazardous work. The report noted that there has been a 94 million decline in child labour estimates since the year 2000 but the challenge of eliminating this global issue continues. Ending child labour is goal number 8 in the 15-point Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) set by the United Nations (UN). The UN committed to address this specific goal by 2025.

Prominence in Africa and Asia

Most of the children involved in forced labour are in Africa and the Asia Pacific with 9 out of 10 of the global estimates coming from these regions. In the Philippines, there are around 2,7 million kids working for their families based on the latest estimates of the Philippine Statistics Authority. The agriculture sector still accounts for the largest share or child workers at 71 percent. Meanwhile, more than 60 percent of them are workers for family enterprises.

“These numbers underscore an important broader point concerning the nature of child labour in the world today. Most children in child labour are not in an employment relationship with a third-party employer, but rather work on family farms and in family enterprises,” the study said.

Meanwhile, the research also found a strong link between conflict and child labour. Countries affected with armed conflict has a 77 percent higher incidence of child labour compared to the global average.

“This situation underscores the importance of prioritising child labour within humanitarian responses and during reconstruction and recovery; governments, workers’ and employers’ organisations, and humanitarian actors all have a critical role to play in this context,” said the study.

Rappler earlier reported that children have been recruited by the terrorist Maute Group to serve as gunfighters. The notorious IS-linked group is currently in a war with state forces as they tried to occupy Marawi City. The conflict is now in its 4th month with thousands of families displaced from their homes.

Moving forward

To ensure the achievement of this SDG, the study urged governments to integrate policy response to child labour in their national development efforts. It encouraged policymakers to stop treating child labour as an isolated issue and to mainstream it into national policies. They also encouraged specialise responses to the specific “gender, age and regional dimensions of child labour.”

“Differences between boys and girls in terms of the extent and nature of their involvement in child labour underscore the continuing relevance of policy measures that address the role of gender in determining whether children are sent to work and the risks they face once there,” said the report.

“In regional terms, Africa, where child labour is highest in both proportionate and absolute terms, and where progress has stalled, remains a particular priority,” it added.

Ultimately, the 3 organisations behind the study called for an international co-operation in combating child labour through Alliance 8,7.

The global partnership launched in 2015 seeks to focus on conducting research, knowledge sharing, boosting resources and actions in ending child labour. — Rappler.