Evangelical groups call for end of child exploitation as UN highlights global crisis: 138 million children forced to work – www.christiandaily.com

Report on Child Labor and its Contravention of Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: A Global Call to Action

A recent United Nations report has prompted an urgent call from faith-based organizations for governments to intensify efforts against child labor, a crisis affecting 138 million children globally. The findings, presented by U.N. Special Rapporteur Tomoya Obokata, underscore a significant failure to meet key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and its Target 8.7, which aims to eliminate all forms of child labor by 2025. The World Evangelical Alliance and The Salvation Army have issued a joint statement to the U.N. Human Rights Council, demanding immediate action to protect children and address the systemic issues that perpetuate this exploitation.

Analysis of the Crisis in the Context of SDG 8.7

Key Findings from the UN Special Rapporteur

The report details the scale of the challenge to achieving SDG Target 8.7, which calls for the eradication of forced labor, modern slavery, and the worst forms of child labor. The data reveals a severe global crisis:

• An estimated 138 million children are subjected to child labor worldwide.
• Of these, 54 million are engaged in hazardous work that directly endangers their health, safety, and moral development.
• In 2023, at least 8,600 children were recruited and used in armed conflicts, a grave violation of human rights and a direct impediment to SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).
• Digital technologies have exacerbated sexual exploitation, with an estimated 302 million victims of online abuse in 2024.

Regional Disparities: Sub-Saharan Africa

The report highlights Sub-Saharan Africa as a region of critical concern, where progress on the SDGs is severely hampered by child labor. An estimated 86.6 million children, or one in four, are forced to work. In Tanzania, for example, 4.2 million children are engaged in the worst forms of child labor, including mining and domestic work. This directly impacts SDG 4 (Quality Education), as evidenced in the Geita gold mining region, where 96% of school absenteeism is linked to child labor.

Root Causes Undermining Multiple SDGs

The Special Rapporteur identified several interconnected root causes that prevent progress across multiple SDGs:

1. Poverty and Economic Instability (SDG 1: No Poverty): A lack of social protection and parents’ inability to access decent work and favorable living conditions forces children into the workforce.
2. Lack of Access to Education (SDG 4: Quality Education): Insufficient access to free and quality education is a primary driver, creating a cycle of poverty and exploitation.
3. Inequality and Discrimination (SDG 5: Gender Equality & SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities): Social and gender inequality, along with discrimination against marginalized groups, increases children’s vulnerability. Girls are noted as primary targets for sexual exploitation.
4. Conflict and Instability (SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions): Armed conflicts, humanitarian crises, and displacement heighten the risks of forced recruitment, trafficking, and sexual violence.

Recommendations for Achieving SDG Targets

State-Level Interventions and Policy Frameworks

To accelerate progress towards the SDGs, the report and supporting organizations call on governments to:

• Intensify efforts to prevent and eliminate the worst forms of child labor, directly addressing SDG 8.7.
• Guarantee universal access to quality education and vocational training as a foundational step (SDG 4).
• Implement robust social protection systems to support families and reduce economic dependency on child labor (SDG 1).
• Affirm and effectively implement the non-punishment principle for victims of trafficking, ensuring child-sensitive identification systems are in place to uphold SDG 16.2, which aims to end abuse and exploitation of children.

The Role of Partnerships and Community-Based Strategies (SDG 17)

The joint statement emphasizes that achieving these goals requires a multi-stakeholder approach, aligning with SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). Key strategies include:

• Mobilizing local networks, including faith-based organizations and community leaders, to prevent exploitation and support families in keeping children in school.
• Raising public awareness to tackle cultural norms that may condone child labor.
• Including children themselves in the process of shaping solutions that affect their lives and futures.

Analysis of SDGs in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The article’s central theme is the fight against child labor. It directly addresses the exploitation of children in various work sectors, including hazardous forms like mining and agriculture. The call to “end child labor” and protect children from economic exploitation is a core component of SDG 8.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  The article discusses severe forms of violence and injustice against children, such as “sexual exploitation, and forced recruitment into armed conflicts.” It also highlights the need for “robust, child-sensitive identification systems and remedies” and the “non-punishment principle” for victims, which are key elements of building just and strong institutions that protect children (a focus of SDG 16).

• SDG 4: Quality Education

  A direct link between child labor and lack of education is established. The report calls for “universal access to education and vocational training” as an “essential first step” to prevent child labor. The example from Geita, where “96% of school absenteeism is linked directly to child labour,” powerfully illustrates how child exploitation is a barrier to achieving quality education for all, a primary goal of SDG 4.

• SDG 1: No Poverty

  The article identifies “systemic poverty” as a primary root cause that “fuels exploitation.” The UN Special Rapporteur’s recommendation to provide “economic, social and other support to parents and families” so they can maintain an “adequate standard of living” directly connects the issue of child labor to the broader goal of poverty eradication under SDG 1.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 8.7: Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labour in all its forms.

  The entire article is a call to action on this target. It explicitly focuses on the “worst forms of child labour,” mentioning the global number of children affected and urging governments to “act with urgency” to eliminate it.

• Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children.

  The article details various forms of violence against children, including “sexual exploitation,” “recruitment into armed conflicts,” and “sexual abuse.” The discussion of online sexual abuse, sextortion, and the vulnerability of children in conflict zones directly relates to ending all forms of exploitation and violence against children as specified in this target.

• Target 4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes.

  The emphasis on ensuring “universal access to education” and supporting families to “keep children in school” is a direct reference to this target. The article frames education as a preventative measure against child labor, highlighting that achieving quality education is impossible as long as children are forced to work instead of attending school.

• Target 1.3: Implement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all, including floors, and by 2030 achieve substantial coverage of the poor and the vulnerable.

  The recommendation that states should provide “social and other support to parents and families” and ensure they have access to “just and favourable conditions of work” aligns with the goal of implementing social protection systems. The article implies that such systems are crucial for reducing family vulnerability and the subsequent “need for their children to work.”

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicators for Target 8.7 (End Child Labour): The article provides several explicit quantitative indicators.
  • The total number of children in child labor: “an estimated 138 million children remain subjected to child labour worldwide.”
  • The number of children in hazardous work: “54 million in hazardous forms.”
  • Regional and national prevalence of child labor: “In Sub-Saharan Africa… an estimated 86.6 million—are forced to work,” and “In Tanzania… 4.2 million children are subjected to the worst forms of child labour.”
• Indicators for Target 16.2 (End Exploitation and Violence): The article mentions specific statistics that can serve as indicators.
  • Number of child soldiers: “at least 8,600 children used in conflicts in 2023.”
  • Prevalence of online sexual abuse: “an estimated 302 million victims in 2024.”
• Indicators for Target 4.1 (Quality Education): While not providing a global enrollment rate, the article implies an important indicator by linking school attendance to child labor.
  • School absenteeism rate due to child labor: “In the gold mining region of Geita, 96% of school absenteeism is linked directly to child labour.” This percentage serves as a direct measure of the impact of child labor on education.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Summary

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