138 million children are in child labor: What does this actually mean?

• A UN report estimates that 138 million children are in child labor, representing approximately 8% of all children aged 5 to 17.
• The world has missed the Sustainable Development Goal target of ending all forms of child labor by 2025.

Defining Child Labor

• Child labor is defined by the International Conference of Labour Statisticians (ICLS) based on a child's age, work hours, and the nature of the job.
• Hazardous work: Any dangerous industry or work exceeding 43 hours per week is automatically classified as child labor.
• Non-hazardous work thresholds:
  • Below age 12: Any economic activity, regardless of duration, is counted.
  • Ages 12–14: Any work totaling 14 or more hours per week is counted.
  • Age 15+: Non-hazardous work is generally not counted.

Breakdown of the Figures

• Hazardous work (54 million children): This accounts for 3% of all children globally and involves inherently dangerous conditions or excessive hours.
• Non-hazardous work (84 million children): These cases are included primarily due to the child's young age or excessive hours, which threaten access to schooling, rest, and play.

Measurement Caveats

• Agricultural focus: About 60% of child labor occurs in agriculture, often on smallholder or family farms. This is classified as labor because it displaces a child's educational and development time.
• Excluded domestic chores: Chores like cooking and childcare in one's own home are excluded from the UN definition as they are not classified as "economic activity." This exclusion creates a gender bias in statistics, as girls perform more domestic work.
• Hidden forms: Extreme cases such as trafficking and forced labor are often missed by standard household surveys, representing a significant gap in data visibility.

Implications

• The term "child labor" covers a diverse range of scenarios, from dangerous exploitation to light agricultural work on family farms.
• Addressing the issue requires distinct strategies that reflect these different realities, including a focus on improving agricultural productivity and poverty reduction in regions like sub-Saharan Africa to support families without relying on child help.