Governments, employers’ and workers’ organisations, alongside international partners, have adopted a new Global Framework for Action aimed at accelerating the elimination of child labour worldwide.
The Framework was unveiled at the 6th Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour held in Marrakech from 11 to 13 February 2026. It reinforces the International Labour Organization’s Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138), and the ILO Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182).
Speaking at the opening session, ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo warned that current efforts are insufficient.
“At the current pace, we will not reach the goal of eliminating child labour by 2030. The challenge is not the absence of solutions but the implementation of what works at scale,” he said.
According to global estimates, 138 million children remain in child labour, including 54 million engaged in hazardous work.
The Marrakesh Framework seeks to scale up proven interventions and tackle both the root causes and emerging forms of child labour. It calls for stronger implementation of international labour standards, enhanced enforcement mechanisms, and improved coordination among stakeholders.
Morocco’s Minister of Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Employment and Skills, Younes Sekkouri, said the Framework would strengthen global cooperation.
“It 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,” he said.
The Framework places particular emphasis on prevention, especially for children aged 5 to 11 and those in rural areas, where most child labour occurs in agriculture.
Key measures include expanding universal access to free and compulsory quality education, strengthening social protection systems for families, and promoting decent work for adults and youth.
It also highlights that child labour is both a cause and consequence of poverty. Structural factors such as lack of decent employment, weak institutions, and limited access to services continue to drive the problem.
Emerging challenges are also addressed, including technology-facilitated commercial sexual exploitation of children. The Framework calls for stronger regulatory responses and child protection systems to tackle such risks.
The initiative sets clear expectations for monitoring and accountability, including improved data collection and regular measurement of progress using agreed indicators.
While Africa has been recognised for innovative approaches, it remains the region with the highest prevalence and absolute number of children in child labour, requiring targeted interventions.
The Marrakesh Framework builds on the 2022 Durban Call to Action and underscores the need for sustained political leadership, financing, and accountability beyond 2030 to achieve lasting progress.
