The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has called for urgent and coordinated global action to end child labour, saying nearly 138 million children remain trapped in the practice worldwide.

The ILO Director-General, Gilbert Houngbo, made the call ahead of the 2026 World Day Against Child Labour, observed annually on June 12, to mobilise efforts against exploitation.

The call was made on the sidelines of the ongoing 114th International Labour Conference (ILC) on Tuesday in Geneva, Switzerland.

Mr Houngbo said about 54 million of the affected children were engaged in hazardous work that endangered their health, safety, development and future opportunities across different regions.

According to him, the situation remains unacceptable despite progress recorded globally in reducing child labour and advancing access to education, social protection and decent employment opportunities.

“Today, nearly 138 million children remain in child labour, including 54 million in hazardous work. This is unacceptable; we must accelerate action,” Mr Houngbo said.

He said the Marrakech Global Framework for Action against Child Labour provided a practical roadmap anchored on decent work, universal quality education and stronger institutions.

The ILO chief said the framework also promoted expanded social protection measures and effective enforcement of laws aimed at eliminating child labour in all forms.

According to him, the framework introduces measurable indicators and an accountability mechanism designed to monitor implementation and sustain international attention beyond the 2030 target.

“For the first time, it includes clear indicators of progress and a built-in accountability mechanism to track implementation,” he said.

Mr Houngbo said the mechanism would help governments, employers, workers and development partners assess commitments and ensure that efforts translated into tangible outcomes for children.

He noted that this year’s campaign theme, “Red Card to Child Labour: Fair play for children, decent work for adults,” underscored the urgency of collective action.

According to him, every child deserves the opportunity to learn, play and grow up in a safe environment free from exploitation and hazardous labour.

“This year’s theme reminds us that every child has the right to learn, to play and to grow up protected and safe,” he said.

Mr Houngbo called on governments, businesses, workers’ organisations, civil society groups and communities to intensify efforts addressing the root causes of child labour globally.

He said improving access to quality education, expanding social protection coverage, creating decent jobs for adults and strengthening law enforcement remained critical interventions.

“Together, let us act with urgency and determination to end child labour,” Mr Houngbo said.

The World Day Against Child Labour brings together governments, employers, workers, businesses, civil society organisations and individuals to strengthen action against child labour worldwide.

The 2026 observance follows the Sixth Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour held in Marrakech, Morocco, which reaffirmed commitments to accelerate progress and implementation. 

(NAN)