The International Labour Organization says child labour is on the decline in the world according to its latest report.
The report entitled iThe end of child labour; Within reachi says the number of child labourers worldwide fell by 11 percent between 2000 and 2004 from 246 million children to 218 million children.
The Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development, Zoe Bakoko Bakoru says that over 9,500 children formerly involved in harmful activities have been rescued.
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The Senior Programme Officer, HIV/AIDS induced child labour project at ILO in Uganda, Akky de Kort says the number of children and youth aged five to seventeen trapped in hazardous work decreased from 28.8 percent to 26 percent to reach 126 million in 2004 as opposed to 171 million in previous years.
Despite the considerable progress in the fight against child labour, the report also highlighted important challenges particularly in agriculture where seven out of ten child labourers work. Other challenges include addressing the impact of HIV/AIDS on child labour and building stronger links between child labour and youth employment concerns.
Akky says the biggest challenge facing Uganda in the continued fight against child labour is enacting a child labour policy.
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The report attributed the reduction in child labour to increased political will and awareness particularly in the field of poverty reduction and mass education leading to a worldwide movement against child labour.
