DHAKA, June 12, 2018 (BSS) – After years of steady decline, child labour
in agriculture sector worldwide has started to rise again in recent years
driven by an increase in conflicts and climate-induced disasters, the Food
and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said today as it observed World Day
against Child Labour.
Since 2002, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) is observing
June 12 the World Day against Child Labour to foster the worldwide movement
against child labour in any of its forms.
Referring to a report of the ILO on the trend of global child labour,
the FAO warned that the rising trend in child labour not only threatens the
wellbeing of millions of children, but also undermines efforts to end global
hunger and poverty.
The ILO report noted surge in child labourers in agriculture worldwide
in recent years when the number swelled from 98 million in 2012 to 152
million in 2016 due mainly to prolonged conflicts and climate-related natural
disasters followed by forced migration.
According to the report, nearly three out of every four children in
child labour working in agriculture when 70 percent of them is unpaid family
labour.
The incidence of child labour in countries affected by armed conflict is
77 percent higher than the global average. Nearly half of all child labour in
the world now takes place in Africa: 72 million, or one in five of Africa’s
children, are in child labour and the vast majority is performed in
agriculture, followed by Asia with 62 million.
“Since more than 70 percent of child labour worldwide takes place in
agriculture, it is vital to integrate child labour into national agricultural
policies and address the issue at the household level. Otherwise, it will
further exacerbate poverty and hunger in rural areas,” said FAO Deputy
Director-General (Programmes), Daniel Gustafson.