The world has witnessed the first rise in child labour in 20 years and the coronavirus crisis threatens to push millions more minors into the same fate, the United Nations said on Thursday.
This content was published on
2 minutes
swissinfo.ch/ds
Português
pt
Trabalho infantil volta a aumentar pela primeira vez em duas décadas
Swiss multinationals from food giant Nestlé to mining titans Glencore and Trafigura have struggled to eradicate child labour from their supply chains and the communities where they work. The issue has brought reputational damage on some occasions and progress on others.
In a joint report the International Labour Organization and the UN children’s agency UNICEF on Thursday said the number in child labour stood at 160 million at the start of 2020. That marks an increase of 8.4 million in four years, with the greatest rise seen in Africa, due to population growth, crises and poverty.
“We are losing ground in the fight against child labour, and the last year has not made that fight any easier,” UNICEF’s executive director Henrietta Fore said in a statement ahead of the World Day Against Child Labour on Saturday.
Covid effect
Children between the ages of five and 11 now account for over half the total global figure. Increased investment in rural development and work in agriculture, a sector that accounts for 70% of child labour, plays a role. The report warns more children are undertaking hazardous work that is likely to harm their health or safety.
“If we look at the impact of Covid-19, this gives us additional reasons for concern,” Claudia Cappa, one of the report’s authors and senior adviser at UNICEF, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
The report reflects research undertaken prior to the pandemic. Pandemic-related economic shocks and the closure of schools mean child labourers may now be working longer hours or under tougher conditions. The UN says urgent action is needed to meet the goal of ending the practice by 2025.
The gains made since 2000 – when 246 million children were in work – are at stake. The report warns that the number could rise to 206 million by the end of 2022 if governments introduce austerity measures or fail to protect the vulnerable.
More
More
Is child labour really that bad?
This content was published on
The failure of a key agreement on ending child labour in the cocoa industry has forced a reckoning over the taboo of working children.
Black Friday gets off to a slow start in Swiss shops
This content was published on
Black Friday has established itself as one of the biggest shopping events in Switzerland in recent years. On Friday, however, business was rather slow, especially in the stores.
This content was published on
The invasive Japanese beetle has been discovered in Valais, southwestern Switzerland. The canton now wants to stop the spread of the voracious plant pest.
Court overturns minimum wages in Zurich and Winterthur
This content was published on
The administrative court of canton Zurich has annulled the ordinance on the introduction of a municipal minimum wage in the Swiss cities of Zurich and Winterthur. It said the ordinances violated cantonal law.
Nominal Swiss wages up 1.5% in 2024, says latest estimate
This content was published on
Wages in Switzerland are likely to have risen slightly more in 2024 than previously assumed. However, some of this is likely to be eaten up by inflation.
CERN ends cooperation with institutes from Russia and Belarus
This content was published on
The cooperation agreement between CERN and Russia and Belarus will be terminated on Saturday, as previously announced. The move is a reaction to the Russian military invasion of Ukraine.
Swiss private bank Lombard Odier charged with serious money laundering
This content was published on
The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland has charged the private bank Lombard Odier and a former employee with serious money laundering.
This content was published on
The Swiss Air Force wants to halve the number of its demonstrations and exhibitions to save money. Participation abroad is planned only in exceptional cases from the beginning of 2025.
Updated free trade deal between Switzerland and China set for 2025
This content was published on
The enhanced free trade agreement between Switzerland and China is set to enter into force in 2025. This is the assumption of parliamentarian Thomas Aeschi, president of the EU-EFTA delegation.
Swiss government sees no need for special law on Sarco suicide capsule
This content was published on
Following the first use of the Sarco assisted suicide capsule in Switzerland in September, the government sees no need for legislative action for the time being.
This content was published on
The top three places of Switzerland's biggest fortunes remain unchanged in 2024, dominated by the co-owner of the Parisian label Chanel.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Chocolate makers face reckoning over persistent child labour challenge
This content was published on
Child labour in the cocoa supply chain has worsened over the last decade. How has the $100 billion industry made so little progress?
Nestlé identifies over 18,000 child labourers in cocoa supply chain
This content was published on
The Swiss multinational Nestlé has identified 18,283 children performing “unacceptable” tasks at cocoa farms that supply beans to the company.
Glencore named in Congo child labour case targeting Big Tech
This content was published on
Swiss mining giant Glencore is at the center of a US legal case against Big Tech linked to child labour in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
How Swiss cobalt traders are trying to prevent child labour
This content was published on
Swiss cobalt traders Glencore and Trafigura deal very differently with miners in the Democratic Republic of Congo, many of whom are children.
Nespresso stops Guatemala purchases after child labour allegations
This content was published on
Swiss coffee brand Nespresso says it has suspended purchases from Guatemala after a Channel Four documentary alleged child labour links.
Cobalt can be sourced responsibly, and it’s time to act
This content was published on
Business and human rights professor Dorothée Baumann-Pauly calls for human rights to be at the centre of a “green recovery”.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.