Child labour refers to any work that deprives children of their childhood, their right to education, health, safety and mental development based on the ILO standards on child labour are defined by the ILO Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) and the Worst Form of Child Labour Convention, 1999, (No. 182).

Though child labour is declining almost at the rate of 100,000 every year, Nepal still accounts for 1.1 million children between (5-17 years) in child labour. Of these 222,493 are estimated to be engaged in hazardous work. Agriculture sector accounts for more than 85% of the total child labour in Nepal.

Nepal is one of the countries selected for the ILO Flagship Programme on the International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour and Forced Labour (IPEC+). It has been implementing key projects; Asia Regional Child Labour Programme (ARC), From Protocol to Practice: A Bridge to Global Action on Forced Labour (The Bridge Project) in Nepal on child labour and forced labour issues. Child labour and forced labour are integral components of the Decent Work Country Programmes (DWCP) Nepal and remains high on Nepal Government’s agenda.

Key resources:

ILO Asia Regional Child Labour - Fact Sheet

From Protocol to Practice: A Bridge to Global Action on Forced Labour (The Bridge Project)

Nepal Child Labour Report 2021

Report on Employment Relationship Survey in the Brick Industry in Nepal

2021 International Year for the Elimination of Child Labour

Child labour: South Asia hub