152 million children, aged 5 to 17 years old are still victims of child labour. Governments, businesses and NGO’s have therefore committed to the elimination of child labour by 2025, as part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). More and more is recognised that child labour is everybody’s responsibility in today’s global supply chains.

A growing amount of businesses recognize the role their supply chains play in the prevalence of child labor. They take steps to eliminate it, sometimes jointly in a multistakeholder setting, at sector level or individually. Besides companies, several NGO’s run successful programmes to end child labour as do governments.

During the IV Global Conference on the Sustained Eradication of Child Labour in Argentina in 2017, voluntary pledges were made to carry out actions for the eradication of child labour and forced labour, and the generation of quality employment for young people. In addition, since the roll out of the Pathfinder Country Strategy of Alliance 8.7 in 2018, eighteen countries have committed to go further and faster to achieve SDG Target 8.7.

However, accelerated efforts are needed if we are to meet Target 8.7 urgent deadlines. Governments, companies, workers’ and employers’ organizations, and civil society have to join efforts to address challenges and leverage opportunities to end chid labour in supply chains.”