Millions of children risk going into child labour as a result of the COVID-19 crisis that has affected the world globally, UNICEF and International Labour Organisation has said.
ILO Director-Genera, Guy Ryder, and UNICEF Executive Director, Henrietta Fore, said this in Abuja at a ceremony to mark the 2020 World Day against Child Labour.
The theme of this year’s anniversary is, “COVID-19, Protect Children from Child Labour Now More than Ever.”
Mr Ryder said that a joint ILO-UNICEF new report, entitled: “COVID-19 and Child Labour: A Time of Crisis, a Time to Act” had been released.
He said the report focused on the impact of COVID-19 on child labour and the elimination of child labour by 2021.
The ILO chief said the report looked at some of the main ways through which the pandemic was likely to affect progress towards the eradication of child labour.
According to the ILO chief, the report shows how the pandemic can lead to rise in child labour after 20 years of progress made to minimise child labour.
He said child labour decreased by millions (about 94 million) since 2000, adding that the gain was now at risk due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr Ryder said the global estimates in 2017 showed that millions of children (about 152 million) were in child labour worldwide.
“Children already in child labour may be working longer hours or under worsening conditions.”
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