Global Child Labour Statistics

Child labour facts and figures: 138M kids working worldwide. Discover causes, effects, and where child labour is most common.

Nearly 138 million child workers – 59 million girls and 78 million boys – are engaged in child labour worldwide, which represents about 8% of all children globally, with 54 million in hazardous work that threatens their health and safety.

Looking at long-term child labour statistics, progress has been made: the number of children in child labour has declined by more than 100 million since 2000. Between 2020 and 2024 alone, child labour fell by 22 million, showing a return to global progress.

Child labour facts show that the largest share (61%) is in agriculture, often unpaid family work on smallholder farms. About 27% are in services such as domestic work and street vending, while 13% are in industry, including construction and mining.

Regional Child Labour Facts

Child labor is most common in Sub-Saharan Africa, where 87 million children are engaged in child labor, accounting for nearly two-thirds of the global total. Despite a 10% decline in prevalence since 2020, population growth means absolute numbers have remained steady.

Asia and the Pacific made the most significant progress, cutting child labour prevalence nearly in half, while Latin America and the Caribbean also saw declines. Yet, child labor around the world remains uneven, with crisis-affected regions having rates more than double the global average.

Age, Gender, and Child Labour Facts

Child labour charts reveal that younger children are heavily affected. Two in five children in hazardous work are under age 15, and nearly one in five is under 12. Boys are generally more likely to be child workers, with 9% of boys vs 7% of girls in child labour. The gap widens with age.

These child labour graphs and child labour charts show that as children grow older, boys are more likely to move into industry, while girls shift into service roles.

Causes and Effects of Child Labour

The leading causes of child labour include poverty, lack of access to education, cultural practices, and economic shocks. In fragile or conflict-affected countries, the rate of child labour is more than twice the global average.

The effects of child labour are severe: it harms children’s physical and mental health, reduces school attendance, and often traps families in cycles of poverty. Child slavery statistics remain alarming, with millions of children still in forced labour, trafficking, or bonded labour.

Child Labour Today and Outlook

So, what is child labour today? It is still a widespread issue, though progress has resumed. The goal to end child labour by 2025 (SDG Target 8.7) has not been met. With 138 million kids working worldwide, elimination is still far off.

Facts about child labour confirm that while legal frameworks exist, implementation gaps remain. Is child labor illegal? Yes, in most countries, under international law and national legislation. But enforcement is weak, especially in rural economies.

Looking at child labour research and child labour data, the path forward requires stronger education systems, poverty reduction, and targeted support for the most vulnerable.

sources

UNICEF – Child Labour Topic Page
UNICEF provides comprehensive child labour statistics, data updates, and underlying methodology, including global estimates of nearly 138 million children in child labour (as of June 2025). ilo.org+14data.unicef.org+14data.unicef.org+14
URL: https://data.unicef.org/topic/child-protection/child-labour/

ILO – 2024 Global Estimates of Child Labour (Figures)
The International Labour Organization (ILO) reports that nearly 138 million children – 59 million girls and 78 million boys – are in child labour globally, representing about 8% of all children worldwide. ilo.org
URL: https://www.ilo.org/resource/other/2024-global-estimates-child-labour-figures

Our goal is to ensure the safety and protection of every child until it is achieved. Our goal is to support communities in protecting the future of children and promoting their welfare.