Understanding the Latest Data from 2025: Accelerating Child Forced Labor and What We Can Do

Understanding the Latest Data from 2025: Accelerating Child Forced Labor and What We Can Do

2025年06月11日 00:03


Introduction: The Severity of the Crisis as Told by Numbers
As of 2025, according to the latest report compiled by UNICEF and the International Labour Organization (ILO), there are 160 million children engaged in child labor worldwide. This accounts for nearly 1 in 10 children globally, with almost half of them involved in hazardous work that threatens their health and lives.  
Among these, "forced labor" is considered the worst form, with approximately 3.3 million children facing life-threatening conditions daily—an alarming figure released by SOS Children's Villages on June 10.  



1. What is Forced Labor?

Child labor is defined as "work that hinders the education and development of children under the age of 15 (or 18 for hazardous work)." Furthermore, forced labor refers to the worst form of exploitation where children's freedom is taken away through violence, threats, deception, or debt, leaving them in a state from which they cannot escape. Under international law, it is strictly prohibited as part of "modern slavery."



2. Reasons for the Worsening Numbers—The Chain of Complex Crises

  • Pandemic: School closures and sudden drops in household income have forced more families to have their children work.

  • Climate Crisis: Droughts and floods have devastated rural livelihoods, pushing children into migrant labor and hazardous work.

  • Conflict and Refugee Situations: Families who have lost their livelihoods are ensnared in human trafficking networks.

    The ILO analyzes that "countries with weaker social protection systems have higher rates of child labor."




3. Actual Conditions by Main Forms of Exploitation

Forms

Impact on Children

Latest Trends

Commercial Sexual Exploitation

Sexual Violence, Diseases, PTSD

Majority of Forced Child LaborersCompriseMore than Half

Domestic and Household Labor

Long Working Hours, Physical Abuse

Concentrated Among Girls and Ethnic Minorities

Mines, Factories, Agriculture

Accidents, Harmful Substances, Overwork

Expansion of Mining Labor Due to Increased Demand for Rare Metals

Conscription by Armed Groups

Casualties, Combat Aftereffects

From 2005 to 2022105,000 PeopleAffected

 






4. Regional Hotspots

  • Sub-Saharan Africa: 27% of Children are Laborers. Triple Burden of Population Growth, Poverty, and Conflict.

  • South Asia: Domestic Workers and Garment Labor Issues in Bangladesh and Indonesia.

  • Latin America: Persistent Seasonal Child Labor in Coffee and Cocoa Plantations.

  • Middle East and North Africa: Human Trafficking Prevalent Around Refugee Camps.




5. Case Study: Rohingya Refugee Children

In the Cox's Bazar refugee camp in Bangladesh, there is a sharp increase in cases where Rohingya children are "loaned out" for domestic work by intermediaries. SOS Children's Villages is collaborating with local NGOs to implement programs for educational reintegration support and legal protection.



6. Supply Chains and Hidden Child Labor

In the fashion industry, there are multiple layers of subcontracting processes such as cotton and leather processing and gold mining for jewelry, which are difficult to audit. The EU is considering the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, which is expected to obligate companies to prevent human rights violations.



7. A Generation Deprived of Education and Future

53 million children engaged in child labor are not attending school. Children who cannot receive primary education remain in low-wage jobs as adults, perpetuating the cycle of poverty. SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 8.7 (Elimination of Child Labor) are closely linked.



8. SOS Children's Villages' Approach

  1. Poverty Reduction: Building a financial foundation for parents through microcredit

  2. Educational Support: Full coverage of tuition and educational materials, offering remedial classes

  3. Rights Awareness: Workshops for children, parents, and community leaders

    The organization operates in 137 countries, protecting 65,000 people annually.




9. International Framework

  • ILO Convention No. 182 (Worst Forms of Child Labor Convention)

  • UNCRC (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child)

  • Alliance 8.7 (Multinational Partnership)

    It aims to eliminate child labor worldwide by 2025, but currently, it seems unlikely to meet the target.




10. Responsibilities of Japanese Companies and Consumers

  • Human Rights Due Diligence Legislation: Following the EU, impose information disclosure and corrective obligations on companies.

  • Expansion of the Green Purchasing Law: Prioritize procurement of child labor-free products.

  • Ethical Consumption: Consumers choosing certification labels (e.g., Fairtrade, RJC) can change corporate behavior.




11. Success Stories and Lessons

In the cocoa industry of Côte d'Ivoire, NGOs, companies, and the government collaborated,reducing hazardous labor by 60% through school construction and wage guarantees for farmers. Visualizing multi-layer subcontracting and community-based monitoring were key.



12. Potential of Technology



Efforts are underway to track supply chains using blockchain and AI image analysis, automating origin certification and risk detection. However, technology is not omnipotent, and local community monitoring and law enforcement are essential.



13. Future Outlook—Roadmap Toward 2030

  • 2026: Aim for the enactment of human rights due diligence law in Japan.

  • 2028: Conclude a regional agreement declaring zero forced labor within Asia.

  • 2030: Target year for achieving SDG goals. Strengthen investment standards of international financial institutions to achieve zero hazardous forms.




14. Conclusion—Actions Each Person Can Take

  1. Read companies' CSR reports and inquire about any questions.

  2. Choose fair trade products and share information on social media.

  3. Donate to or volunteer with educational NGOs.

    Even small actions can be a step towards reclaiming the future for 3.3 million children.



Conclusion
"Children should learn, not work." To ensure this fundamental right for every child worldwide, we, living in Japan, also have the responsibility to change our choices and voices now. Taking the opportunity of the International Day on June 12, let's take a step towards realizing a supply chain free of forced labor and a sustainable society.




References and Sources




Related Articles

Increase in Child Forced Labor Worldwide / Statement by SOS Children's Villages on the International Day Against Child Labor on June 12
Source: https://www.finanznachrichten.de/nachrichten-2025-06/65621572-zwangsarbeit-von-kindern-nimmt-weltweit-zu-sos-kinderdoerfer-zum-internationalen-tag-gegen-kinderarbeit-am-12-juni-007.htm

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