A newly adopted Global Framework for Action against Child Labour calls for stronger implementation of international labour standards, including the ILO Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) and the ILO Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182), as well as better enforcement, strengthened institutions, social dialogue, and effective coordination.
With an estimated 138 million children still in child labour, including 54 million in hazardous work, the Framework aims to scale up interventions that have proven effective in combating child labour.
The Framework was adopted at the 6th Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour, which was held in Marrakech from 11 to 13 February 2026. Speaking at the opening session, ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo underscored that the global community must move faster to meet its commitments.
“At the current pace, we will not reach the goal of eliminating child labour by 2030,” Houngbo said, adding that the challenge is not the absence of solutions, but the implementation of what works at scale.
Younes Sekkouri, Minister of Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Employment and Skills, stated: “The Global Marrakesh Framework of Action, adopted unanimously by all the participating countries, governments, and employers’ and workers’ representatives, will enable us to join forces and work together with focus and determination to eradicate child labour globally, specifically in sectors where urgent action is needed, such as agriculture.”
The Conference brought together governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations, and a wide coalition of partners to drive accelerated implementation.
A core focus is prevention, especially for the youngest children (aged 5 to 11) and in rural areas, where most child labour occurs in agriculture. This includes expanding universal access to free, compulsory, and quality basic education; strengthening universal social protection systems for children and families; and promoting decent work for adults and youth.
The Framework recognizes that child labour is both a cause and a consequence of poverty and is shaped by wider structural factors, including lack of decent work and gaps in protection and services.
It therefore calls for integrated, multidimensional responses that link education, skills development, employment, and social protection to address root causes and scale up what works.
The Framework also highlights emerging and persistent challenges, including technology-facilitated commercial sexual exploitation of children and the need for regulatory and policy responses that protect children. It sets expectations for monitoring and accountability, including improved data collection and regular measurement of progress using agreed indicators.
The Framework recognizes that while the African region is a source of innovation and good practice, it has the highest prevalence and absolute numbers of children in child labour, requiring particular focus and support.
It builds on and complements the 2022 Durban Call to Action, which remains highly relevant but has not been fully implemented. The Marrakech Framework underscores that eliminating child labour must remain a priority in international sustainable development frameworks through 2030 and beyond. It calls for sustained political leadership, financing and accountability so that the post-2030 agenda continues to drive progress towards ending child labour everywhere.
