The World Day Against Child Labour calls for reflection on a phenomenon that encompasses various forms of exploitation and abuse, often driven by extreme poverty, lack of access to education, and economic and political situations in which the rights of minors are not respected. This year's anniversary is dedicated to the following theme: Progress is clear, but there's more to do: let's speed up efforts!

According to the latest estimates of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and Unicef, although they show an overall reduction of the phenomenon since 2020, by 2024 almost 138 million children and adolescents were involved in child labour, falling short of the target of eliminating it by 2025.

In addition to the Statement of the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella (which can be read on the website of the Presidency of the Republic), we would like to highlight some publications and other materials that are useful to better understand the anniversary:

- Child Labour: Global Estimates 2024, Trends and the Road Forward, a Report launched by the International Labour Organisation and Unicef, highlighting how millions of children and adolescents are still denied the right to learn, play and simply be children. The English version of the Report is available on the Unicef website.
- Unicef Italy presented a Report entitled Lavoro minorile in Italia: rischi, infortuni e sicurezza sui luoghi di lavoro (Child Labour in Italy: Risks, Accidents and Safety in the Workplace), which outlines the Italian phenomenon with data on child labour and work-related injuries for the 2019-2023 five-year period distributed by age, region and gender.
- Save the Children published a focus on the subject on its website, featuring data, documents and other materials.

Finally, to further explore the theme of the Day, readers can consult the legislative framework produced by the National Documentation and Analysis Centre for Childhood and Adolescence and the following study materials selected by the A.C. Moro Innocenti Library: bibliographic research on child labour; bibliographic research on working children and adolescents.

Additional materials and news can be found on this website under Child labour, accessible from the “Topics” navigation menu.