The elimination of child labour by 2025 is a fundamental goal enshrined in Target 8.7 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Yet, as we await the latest global estimates, one reality is painfully clear: we are set to miss this target.
We have failed the world's children—collectively and within our respective sectors. This failure demands urgent introspection and a renewed, strategic commitment at every level. Having worked for over a decade to combat child labour in agricultural communities, I believe six key issues will shape the landscape of this fight in 2025.
1. The road to the VI Global Conference on Child Labour Elimination
The upcoming VI Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour, set for 2026 in Morocco, presents a critical opportunity to reignite global efforts. Leading up to this, two major milestones will shape the agenda: the release of new global child labour estimates and regional consultations to gather stakeholder insights. These consultations are meant to ensure that governments, employers, workers, and civil society voices are heard. However, 72% of all child labour occurs within families, often on smallholder farms or microenterprises—sectors that remain largely unrepresented. How are we ensuring that rural farmers and workers, who lack formal representation, are part of these discussions? Engaging small rural producers remains a challenge, but it is essential. The UN Declaration on the Rights of Peasants calls for their inclusion, and we must act on this principle. As we prepare for the VI Global Conference, I urge organizers to prioritize meaningful consultations with the World Farmers’ Organization, rural producer groups, and domestic supply chain buyers. Multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs), such as the ECLT Foundation, can facilitate inclusive dialogue to ensure that the voices of those most affected shape global policy.
2. The need for an integrated global strategy to end child labour in agriculture
Child labour is overwhelmingly an agricultural issue, accounting for over 70% of all cases. The 2022 Durban Call to Action included a commitment to tackling child labour in agriculture, yet no substantial follow-up has occurred. Despite appeals from UN human rights experts, IUF, and the ECLT Foundation, there has been little progress on implementation. Is it surprising, then, that the global targets for achieving the elimination of child labour are slipping out of reach?
Moving forward, two truths must be acknowledged. First, eliminating child labour requires active engagement from rural producer organizations, governments, farmworker groups, and buyers—across all value chains and crops. Second, fragmentation is slowing progress. Lack of coordination, insufficient funding, and duplicated efforts are undermining impact. The VI Global Conference is our chance to realign global efforts and get this runaway train back on track. We owe it to the world’s children.
3. MSIs as catalysts for living wages and incomes in agricultural supply chains
Poverty is the primary driver of child labour. In fact, agriculture workers make up two-thirds of the 740 million people facing extreme poverty. Ensuring living wages and incomes is not just about fairness—it is a necessity for ending child labour and securing the future of agriculture.
Many multinational enterprises (MNEs) in agriculture have taken steps toward fairer pay, but progress has been uneven. Three pressing issues must be addressed in 2025:
- Closing the living income gap: While some efforts have improved farmer livelihoods, they have not lifted them out of poverty. MNEs must take coordinated action to bridge this gap, and MSIs must play a central role in driving impact and measuring progress.
- Inclusion of domestic supply chains: Many living wage initiatives focus on export markets, neglecting local buyers and intermediaries. Yet, most child labour occurs in domestic production. MSIs must create platforms to integrate domestic buyers into the solution.
- Genuine social dialogue: Corporate living wage initiatives should complement—not replace—sectoral social dialogue. Workers’ and farmers’ organizations must be at the negotiating table to ensure sustainable wage solutions.
4. Encouraging transparency: A new approach to child labour reporting
Child labour remains deeply embedded in global and local agricultural supply chains. Yet, corporate reporting remains inadequate. A 2019 Global Child Rights Forum study found that only 21% of over 600 surveyed companies reported on child labour risks or non-compliance.
Why? Because public disclosure invites media outrage, reputational damage, and consumer backlash. Companies are incentivized to under-detect and under-report cases rather than acknowledge the problem. This must change. Detecting child labour should be seen as a sign of a functioning due diligence process—not a corporate failure. Transparency should be rewarded, not punished. Only by confronting the real scale of the issue can we drive meaningful action and provide effective remedies.
5. The growing impact of sustainability regulations
Sustainability regulations will remain a dominant theme in 2025. At the UN level, the Open-Ended Intergovernmental Working Group (OEIGWG) will continue negotiations on a binding treaty for transnational corporations regarding human rights. The 2025 roadmap includes thematic consultations and a summary report, setting the stage for more stringent global corporate accountability.
In the EU, companies will prepare to comply with the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) and publish their first reports under the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS, under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive). Meanwhile, the European Commission will refine regulatory frameworks to streamline compliance.
In developing countries, governments will need to adapt quickly to these evolving regulations, understanding their implications for exports, foreign exchange, and employment—especially in agriculture. How these countries navigate this shifting landscape will be critical in the fight against child labour.
6. The US Factor: Uncertainty in global leadership on child labour
By the time of writing, the US government has signaled its intention to withdraw from the World Health Organization and the Paris Agreement. Meanwhile, we expect attacks on ESG to continue under the current administration, and for more states in the country to roll back child labour regulations.
This raises questions about the future role of the US Department of Labor in global child labour initiatives. The US government and its corporations exert significant influence on global trade, human rights, and sustainability. In 2025, we anticipate mixed signals as the new administration defines its stance.
Despite shifting political winds, businesses and human rights practitioners must remain committed to enduring principles of responsible conduct. We must not allow political cycles to dictate the pace of progress.
A Call to Action for 2025
We are at a critical juncture. The failure to meet the 2025 child labour elimination target should not lead to despair, but to action.
The coming year offers an opportunity to recalibrate our efforts—to forge stronger partnerships, demand greater accountability, and champion solutions that address the root causes of child labour. Governments, businesses, civil society, and worker organizations must work together with renewed urgency and commitment.
The VI Global Conference is not just another meeting. It must be a turning point.
The children of the world cannot afford further delay.
Dr. Innocent Mugwagwa - Executive Director of the ECLT Foundation