ÖFSE – Austrian Foundation for Development Research, 24 September 2025
The United Nations’ 2030 Agenda defines 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – some of which are to be achieved before 2030. Among these is SDG 8.7, which aims to eliminate all forms of child labour by 2025 through effective measures. Yet the latest figures on global child labour show how far we are from this goal: around 137.6 million children worldwide are still engaged in child labour, i.e. working under conditions, in forms, or intensities that are dangerous or exploitative, and thus harmful to their development or education.
It has long been clear that SDG 8.7 will not be achieved. Although child labour has declined (from about 16% of affected children in 2000 to 7.8% today), the pace of change is far too slow: to eliminate child labour by 2030, the decline would need to proceed eleven times faster.
Child labour is a complex issue that affects different groups of children in different ways. Of ten affected children worldwide, about six work in agriculture, three in services, and one in industry. Girls are more likely to do household chores, while boys are more likely to work outside the home. Some groups of children are especially vulnerable – such as indigenous, refugee, orphaned, or disabled children, or children of migrant workers.