NEW DELHI – For the first time in two decades, the number of child workers has increased. The shocking rise – from 152 million to 160 million worldwide, according to recent United Nations data – occurred in the four years that preceded the COVID-19 pandemic.
There can be absolutely no excuse for this. The world took its eyes off the target – namely, the promise we made to end child labor by 2025. Today, we have made a mockery of that promise. What is even more outrageous is that the increase in child labor occurred during a period when global wealth rose by $10 trillion.
