Million children are at work instead of school. The global financial crisis could push an increasing number of children, particulary girls, into child labour. Today is the World Day Against Child Labour. Most child labour is rooted in poverty, often associated with multiple disadvantage. Socio-economic inequalities based on language, race, disability and rural-urban differences remain deeply entrenched. Girls can face particular disadvantages due to discrimination and practices which allocate certain forms of work to girls. Many girls take on unpaid household work for their families, usually more so than boys.

Around the world, an estimated 100 million girls are involved in child labour. Many of these girls undertake similar types of work as boys, but often also endure additional hardships and face extra risks. Moreover, girls are all too often exposed to some of the worst forms of child labour, often in hidden work situations. More, click here

The ITUC has launched a new video spot to highlight the problem and press governments to tackle the exploitation of children more effectively, both through funding quality education and enforcing labour law.