The ILO will launch an in-depth report on challenges of child labour and youth employment in Arab States in a meeting in Amman with members of Jordan’s National Steering Committee on Child Labour, which includes representatives from the Ministries of Labour, Education and Social Development, as well as the National Council on Family Affairs, international and civil society organizations.

The report, entitled "The Twin Challenges of Child Labour and Youth Employment in the Arab States” examines the related issues of child labour and youth employment in Arab States, with a particular focus on Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Yemen and the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The report analyses data from recent household surveys collected in the five countries and sets out recommendations on how to address the challenges experienced in each state.

Effective action on child labour and youth employment needs to be based on a full recognition of their linkages, the report states, where on the one hand, there are children working when they should be at school and on the other, young women and men are struggling to find productive employment. The report found that child labour affects both the demand and supply sides of youth labour markets, as the availability of cheap labour distorts the labour market and skews demand away from youth and towards children. In addition, by preventing children from acquiring basic education and skills, child labour contributes to an under-skilled youth workforce.

The report calls on Arab States to put more effort in eliminating child labour and ensure decent work opportunities for youth.