Child Labour: Global estimates 2024, trends and the road forward

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This landmark report presents the latest global estimates on child labour, offering a comprehensive overview of current trends, regional dynamics, and the urgent actions needed to accelerate progress. According to the data, nearly 138 million children worldwide were engaged in child labour in 2024, including 54 million involved in hazardous work. While progress has resumed since 2020—with over 20 million fewer children in child labour—the world has missed the SDG target of elimination by 2025.

The report details the sectors, age groups, and geographic areas most affected, highlights the deep links between child labour, education, poverty, and conflict, and provides evidence-based policy recommendations for governments and international actors. It serves as a critical resource for understanding the scale of the challenge and charting a course toward ending child labour globally.