He stressed that meaningful progress requires coordinated efforts from communities, employers, trade unions, civil society, NGOs, and the media.

To accelerate progress, UNICEF and ILO are calling for governments and stakeholders to:

Child labour persists in dangerous numbers, with 138 million children performing work that harms their health, safety, education, and moral development, according to a new report by UNICEF and the ILO.

The report, "Towards a World Free from Child Labour: Measuring Progress and Charting the Path Forward," tracks progress on Sustainable Development Goal 8.7, which aims to eliminate all forms of child labour by 2025.

Despite significant reductions since 2000, when 246 million children were engaged in child labour, current trends indicate that the 2025 goal will not be met.

To reach the goal within five years, the annual rate of reduction would need to be 11 times faster than what has been achieved so far.

The report also notes that child labour in its worst forms, such as forced labour, slavery, and trafficking, has decreased by nearly two-thirds since 2000.

However, an estimated 1.5 million children are victims of the worst forms of child labour, mainly in the agriculture sector.

The report highlights the interconnectedness of child labour with poverty, inequality, and lack of social protection.

It calls for urgent and scaled-up action from governments, employers, trade unions, civil society, NGOs, and the media to invest in social protection, strengthen child protection systems, and provide universal access to quality education.

The report also emphasizes the importance of decent work opportunities for adults and youth, and the need to hold businesses accountable for preventing child labour in their supply chains.

"Every child deserves a safe, healthy, and education-filled childhood, not one stolen by poverty, inequality, or lack of opportunity," said Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director.

"By investing in social protection, strengthening child protection systems, and providing universal access to quality education, we can ensure that every child can enjoy their fundamental rights and contribute to society to the best of their abilities."output: Child labour persists in dangerous numbers, with 138 million children performing work that harms their health, safety, education, and moral development, according to a new report by UNICEF and the ILO.

The report, "Towards a World Free from Child Labour: Measuring Progress and Charting the Path Forward," tracks progress on Sustainable Development Goal 8.7, which aims to eliminate all forms of child labour by 2025.

Reaffirming the ILO’s continued support, he stressed that decent work cannot exist where child labour persists and called for collective action to ensure every child enjoys a safe, education-filled childhood.

The report, titled "Towards a World Free from Child Labour: Measuring Progress and Charting the Path Forward," tracks progress on Sustainable Development Goal 8.7, which aims to eliminate all forms of child labour by 2025.

Since 2000, child labour has almost halved globally, from 246 million to 138 million, yet current rates are too slow, and the world has fallen short of reaching the 2025 global elimination target.

To end it within the next five years, the current rates of progress would need to be 11 times faster.

The report also notes that child labour in its worst forms, such as forced labour, slavery, and trafficking, has decreased by nearly two-thirds since 2000.

However, an estimated 1.5 million children are victims of the worst forms of child labour, mainly in the agriculture sector.

The report highlights the interconnectedness of child labour with poverty, inequality, and lack of social protection.

It calls for urgent and scaled-up action from governments, employers, trade unions, civil society, NGOs, and the media to invest in social protection, strengthen child protection systems, and provide universal access to quality education.

The report also emphasizes the importance of decent work opportunities for adults and youth, and the need to hold businesses accountable for preventing child labour in their supply chains.

"We can and must do better to protect children from exploitation and abuse and ensure they can fully realize their potential," said Vincenzo Duse, ILO Director of the Employment, Labour and Population Dynamics Programme.

"By pooling our efforts and investing in social protection, education, and decent work opportunities, we can create a world free from child labour, a world where every child can enjoy a safe, healthy, and productive childhood."