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Participants at a panel during the sixth World Conference on the Elimination of Child Labor called on Wednesday in Marrakech for a coordinated global response to address the persistence of this social phenomenon.
Held under the theme «Child Labor: Emerging Challenges and New Opportunities», the panel explored current obstacles and potential strategies to strengthen action at the national, regional, and international levels, moving beyond short-term solutions.
Speaking at the event, Minister of Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Employment, and Skills Younes Sekkouri stressed that school dropout remains the primary driver pushing minors into the labor market.
He also pointed out that the lack of decent employment opportunities for parents undermines household stability. In addition, he highlighted the role of the informal economy, noting regulatory gaps that create spaces operating outside effective legal oversight.
For his part, Roberto Suárez Santos, Secretary-General of the International Organization of Employers (IOE), underscored the scale of the issue, referring to the millions of children engaged in labor worldwide, many of whom are exposed to hazardous conditions.
Meanwhile, Jordania Ureña Lora, Deputy Secretary-General of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), emphasized that globally, «child labor stems from structural causes linked to fragile economic systems, further aggravated by conflicts and crises».
The conference provides an opportunity to review progress achieved and challenges that persist since the fifth World Conference held in Durban in 2022, while strengthening peer learning, international cooperation, and policy coherence.
Organized by the Ministry of Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Employment, and Skills in partnership with the International Labour Organization (ILO), the event seeks to highlight the link between the elimination of child labor and the broader framework of fundamental principles and rights at work.
