15 million minors are victims of child labor in the Arab world

Children and young people constitute more than half of the population of countries in the Arab world. According to a report published by the International Labor Organization, it is estimated that around 15% of the total number of children are involved in some form of child labor. This percentage is probably higher, given that many children work in the informal sector, which is difficult to measure.

Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal Al Saud, chairman of the Arab Council for Children and Development, called for immediate action to reduce the suffering of more than 15 million child victims of child labor around the world Arabs, who have been denied the opportunity to lead a normal and decent life that allows them to unlock their full potential.

On the occasion of the< Journée internationale contre le travail des enfants >> Organized by the United Nations on June 12, it reviewed the latest statistics on child labor in the region, calling on government agencies, the private sector, civil society and international institutions to coordinate their efforts to cope the repercussions of the< Covid-19 >> and its disastrous consequences for children. He said: “The children of the region are the pillar of its future, and we must take care of their childhood and care for them by developing their skills and improving their mental and physical health to ensure a bright future for us. all.”

He said conflicts and armed conflict have forced families to flee and have forced tens of thousands of children out of schools and doing hazardous work, indicating that the “Covid-19” epidemic will also worsen the problem. This in turn will put pressure on children and force many of them to work to be vulnerable to violence and psychological and physical abuse.

His Highness added: “We aim to prohibit and eliminate child labor in all its forms by 2025, and to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for 2030, based on our firm belief that the return bringing children back to their natural place on school benches is a crucial step in reducing poverty and improving societies. “

The< Conseil arabe pour l'enfance et le développement >> participated in the development of a regional study entitled< Le travail des enfants dans les pays arabes >> in cooperation with the League of Arab States, the Arab Labor Organization, the International Labor Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The study was launched in March 2019 and endorsed by the “Arab Summit for Economic and Social Development” held in Beirut as a policy document to support member states’ efforts to eliminate child labor .