On Monday in the city of Fortaleza-Brazil, the meeting “A shared challenge: Latin America and the Caribbean free of child labor in 2025” began, a meeting in which Ministries of Labor from 25 countries and Ministries of Education have met of 16, in order to identify actions that allow them to strengthen an effective joint response to advance in the reduction of child labor and promote protected adolescent employment.

The opening panel was chaired by the Jamaica Focal Point and Regional Initiative Spokesperson, Marva Pringle-Ximinnies; the Director of ILO-Brazil, Peter Poschen; the Deputy Minister of Labor Inspection of the Ministry of Labor of Brazil, María Teresa Jensen; the Minister for Social Action of the Ministry of Social Development of Brazil, María do Carmo; and the Deputy Governor of the State of Ceará, María Izolda Cela de Arruda Coelho. 

Since 2000, 7.5 million children and adolescents stopped working in the region, the result of the joint work of different sectors of government, employers, unions and non-governmental organizations, with the support of International Cooperation. However, 12.5 million minors, mainly living in poverty, carry out dangerous activities on a daily basis, in contexts of informality.

Although child labor is a problem in itself, it represents above all an obstacle to exercising rights such as access to and use of education, the creative use of free time, the protection of a family and community, and the acquisition of skills and capabilities for a productive youth and adult life.

According to ILO studies carried out in recent years, premature child labor and school drop-outs, especially at the secondary level, hinder the transition of young people to the labor market and reduce their level of education, limiting their opportunities to access education. decent jobs in their adult life, increasing their vulnerability and that of their families.

About the Regional Initiative Latin America and the Caribbean free of child labor

Officially signed in October 2014, it is an intergovernmental cooperation platform of 27 countries in the region, with the active participation of employers 'and workers' organizations, with the aim of accompanying the first generation free of child labor by 2025, in in line with target 8.7 of the Agenda for Sustainable Development 2030, which seeks to end child labor.