Child labour is a serious violation of human rights, and yet many vulnerable families worldwide engage their children in work as a survival strategy. The figures from the 2020 International Labour Organization (ILO) and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) global estimates are alarming: almost one in ten of all children worldwide is engaged in child labour, and the largest share remains in agriculture, with 112 million children in total – 70 percent of all child labour (ILO and UNICEF, 2021). Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to other crises, has led to school closures and has caused an unprecedented decline in economic activity and loss of jobs all over the world, hitting agriculture and food systems hard and increasing the risk of pushing more children into child labour (ILO and UNICEF, 2020).
2021 was the International Year for the Elimination of Child Labour, as proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in light of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 8.7, which seeks to eliminate all forms of child labour by 2025. If the world is to achieve this target, a strong new momentum and commitment are required, with the involvement of agricultural stakeholders and their partners, to alleviate poverty and hunger. Ending child labour is a prerequisite to achieving zero hunger and ensuring sustainable agrifood systems.
Modern slavery is an umbrella term that covers: all situations of exploitation that a person cannot refuse or leave, because of threats, violence, coercion, abuse of power or deception. Modern slavery sits at the extreme end of a spectrum o...Read More
The Human Rights Council unanimously endorsed the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) in 2011. More than 10 years later, this global standard for how business should respect human rights has driven some positive change. While ...Read More
Over the past few decades, some of the EU’s largest and most well-known companies have been involved in appalling human rights abuses and environmental harm in countries across the globe. The companies have failed to address abuses perpetuated by ...Read More
Research suggests connections exist between migration and criminal forms of exploitation such as human trafficking, forced labour and modern slavery. Certainly, constellations of risk are seen in certain migrant communities and migration corridors. ...Read More
2025 © Copyright, RESPECT International. All Rights Reserved. Website Disclaimer | Privacy Policy
