YANGON, Myanmar (ILO News) — On World Day Against Child Labour, the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Myanmar calls for urgent action from all stakeholders to protect children and end child labour amid worsening security concerns.
The ILO’s plea comes on the 25th anniversary of the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182), which achieved universal ratification in 2013. Despite this milestone, child labour remains a pressing global issue, with an estimated 160 million children worldwide engaged in child labour, including 79 million in hazardous work.
In Myanmar, the situation is particularly dire. UN reports indicate that 40% of the population lives below the national poverty line, and over three million people are internally displaced, one third of whom are children. The 2010 People’s Military Service Law has intensified the crisis, leading to increased flight from conscription.
An ILO study in selected states of Myanmar reveals rising child labour levels, driven in part by parents preferring their children to work to avoid military conscription. This aligns with the ILO’s 2022 report, which found that child labour rates in conflict-affected countries are 77% higher than global averages.
“We remain deeply concerned by the deteriorating situation and escalation of the conflict in Myanmar,” said Yutong Liu, ILO Myanmar Liaison Officer. “More children are living in poverty, facing movement restrictions, or displacement, making them increasingly vulnerable to child labour. Children should not be victims of conflicts in any form. Instead, they must be protected and allowed to continue to be a beacon of hope for the future of the country. On this World Day Against Child Labour, it is crucial for all stakeholders to honour their commitments to Convention No. 182 and intensify efforts to combat child labour,” Liu added.
The ILO continues to monitor the situation of children in Myanmar and supports efforts to tackle child labour through community-based monitoring, awareness campaigns, and skills and livelihood support in the Ayeyarwady and Yangon regions, as well as Shan and Mon states.
