Programme description

About Work: No Child’s Business

The programme Work: No Child’s Business aims to achieve that children and youth are free from child labour and enjoy their rights to quality education and (future) decent work. We work in six countries: Cote d’Ivoire, India, Jordan, Mali, Uganda and Vietnam. In these countries we identified five sectors with a high incidence of child labour: garment, textiles and footwear, gold and mining, natural stones, cocoa and the informal sector including domestic work. The Alliance, together with communities, schools, governments, civil society organizations, trade unions and private actors.

The Work: No Child’s Business Alliance is run by the Save the Children Netherlands, Unicef Netherland and the Stop Child Labour Coalition. Hivos is the lead organization and hosting the programme management. The programme is supported by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Key messages

We aim to achieve that children and youth are free from child labour and enjoy their rights to quality education and (future) decent work. Work: No Child’s Business contributes to the concerted global efforts to end all forms of child labour by 2025.

We believe that no child should be working

152 million children between 5 and 17 years old are involved in child labour worldwide. This means almost one in ten of all children. Moreover, almost half of these children, 73 million, are working in hazardous labour. Although child labour has declined over the past 15 years, progress has dropped during the last years.

No child should be forced to work or be in child labour. All work done by children under the age of 15 and dangerous work done by children under the age of 18 is considered child labour. We believe that all children who are out of school are potential child labourers. It is important to help them back to school and to retain them in school.

Child labour often means that poverty continues to exist. Children who work and do not go to school will end up in low paid jobs later, and so will their children – which means the vicious cycle of poverty is continued.

Every child has the right to quality education and (future) decent work

Providing access to education for all children is one the most effective strategies for eradicating child labour. Ensuring quality formal education and preparing children to enter decent youth employment will lead to development and better opportunities for everyone: the children, their families and the communities.

Together we can combat child labour

Child labour is a global problem that requires a global solution. To eradicate all forms of child labour we need to work together on all levels. Through our area-based approach we can tackle child labour at the root and bring sustainable change in the communities. With our Child’s Rights and Business Principles we encourage (international) companies to assume their responsibility and help them in finding solutions for eliminating child labour in their supply chains. We also seek cooperation with governments, who have an obligation to protect child rights and are key in setting and reinforcing relevant policies and legislation regarding child labour, CSR, education, youth economic empowerment and social security.

If we all take our responsibility and work together, we will strengthen and speed up efforts towards a child labour free world.