What is Child Labour?

Childhood Shouldn’t Be Work.

Childhood should be a time to learn, play and grow – not a time spent working in dangerous conditions. Yet millions of children around the world are still affected by child labour.

At ChildFund, we believe every child should grow up feeling cared for, encouraged and valued, no matter where they live. That means protecting children from exploitation and addressing the barriers that push them into work too soon.

Despite decades of progress, an estimated 138 million children worldwide are still engaged in child labour, putting their safety, health, education and future opportunities at risk. Below, we take a closer look at what child labour is, why it happens, how it affects children, and what’s actually working to end it.

What is child labour?

Not all work done by children is child labour. Age-appropriate chores or part-time jobs that don’t interfere with schooling, health or development are a normal part of growing up in many cultures.

Child labour is different. It refers to work that is mentally, physically, socially or morally harmful to children, or that interferes with their education, including work that prevents children from attending school, forces them to leave school early or requires them to combine study with excessively long or heavy work. At its most severe, child labour shades into broader forms of child exploitation, including trafficking and forced labour.

Some child labour is classified as hazardous – work that directly threatens a child’s health, safety or wellbeing. Around 54 million children worldwide are engaged in hazardous work, including in mining, commercial agriculture and manufacturing.

Where does child labour occur?

Child labour exists in almost every country, but it’s heavily concentrated in a small number of sectors and regions, according to the International Labour Organization (ILO) and UNICEF.

• Agriculture accounts for the largest share – around 61% of child labour globally – mostly on family farms and in subsistence production.
• Services, including domestic work and street or market selling, make up around 27%.
• Industry – including construction, manufacturing and mining – accounts for the remaining 13% and includes some of the most hazardous work.
• Sub-Saharan Africa is the most affected region, with an estimated 87 million children in child labour.

Why is child labour happening?

Child labour rarely has a single cause. Poverty is a major driver, but conflict, crises, limited access to education and a lack of support for families can also increase the risk. When families have few options to manage these pressures, children can end up working instead of going to school.

Common factors include:

• Poverty – families with limited income may rely on children’s earnings to meet basic needs.
• Economic shocks, conflict and crises – job losses, displacement, natural disasters and other crises can increase pressure on families.
• A parent or caregiver being unable to work – illness, injury or disability can reduce household income and increase financial pressure.
• Limited access to education – when schools are unavailable, unaffordable or difficult to reach, children may be more likely to enter work.
• Discrimination and social norms – expectations around gender, family roles or which children should work can influence who is most at risk.

How does child labour affect children?

The impact of child labour goes well beyond the hours a child spends working. It reshapes their whole future – their education, their health, and their chances of escaping poverty as adults.

• Lost education – children who work often drop out of school entirely, or their attendance and results suffer as work takes priority
• Health and safety risks – hazardous work exposes children to toxic chemicals, dangerous machinery, long hours and physical abuse
• A cycle of poverty – without an education, children are far more likely to end up in low-paid work as adults, passing the same risks on to their own children
• Lost childhood – the everyday experience of friendship, play and school that most children take for granted

How can child labour be solved?

There’s no single fix, but there is a clear, evidence-based set of solutions – and progress is possible. Global child labour numbers have fallen by more than 22 million since 2020, showing that coordinated action can create change. ChildFund works with local partners, governments and communities to strengthen child protection systems that help prevent child labour and support children at risk.

• Supporting families: Social protection, including cash transfers and safety nets, can help families meet their needs without relying on children’s income.
• Keeping children in school: Free, quality education helps protect children from child labour and gives them greater opportunities for the future.
• Creating decent work for adults: Fair wages and safe working conditions can help parents support their families without children needing to work.
• Tackling discrimination: Addressing harmful gender norms and other forms of discrimination can reduce pressures that push some children into work and keep them out of school.
• Strengthening child protection: Local services can identify risks early, connect children and families with support and respond when children need protection from harm.

Community-led solutions make the difference

Preventing child labour also means strengthening the local systems that can identify children at risk and support families before children are pushed into work. In Cambodia, ChildFund works with local partners and government to strengthen child protection at community level. This includes supporting community-based social workers to identify concerns, connect children and families with appropriate services and strengthen local responses to child protection issues.

How you can help right now

Poverty can increase the pressures that push children into work. Tackling child labour therefore means addressing the barriers that prevent children from staying safe and in school – while supporting families to meet their basic needs.

A monthly donation can help ChildFund plan and deliver long-term programs that strengthen child protection, support families and help prevent children from being pushed into harmful work.

There are other ways to take action too:

• Raise awareness – share this article or the latest child labour statistics with your network.
• Start a conversation – talk with family, friends and colleagues about why child labour persists and what can be done.
• Fundraise – organise an event or fundraiser to support organisations working to protect children.
• Mark World Day Against Child Labour – held each year on 12 June, it’s an opportunity to learn more and encourage action to end child labour.

No child’s future should be determined by work they are forced to do today – and no child should be forced into child labour.

Discover how ChildFund works with communities to help children grow up safe from violence, abuse and exploitation.