Asia is led by India which has 44 million child laborers, giving it the largest child workforce in the world. .
In Pakistan, 10 percent of all workers are between the ages of 10 and 14 years. .
Child labor is also common in South America. For example, there are 7 million children working in Brazil.
Table 1:.
Distribution of Economically Active Children under 15 Years of Age.
(percent of total world child labor).
Region 1980 1985 1990.
Africa 17.0 18.0 21.3.
Americas 4.7 5.6 na.
Asia 77.8 75.9 72.3.
Europe 0.3 0.2 0.1.
Oceania 0.2 0.2 0.2.
Source: ILO 1993.
Note: na.not available .
Table 2.
Because much of child labor is illegal, there is a lack of accurate data on this subject. .
There are also inconsistencies in legislation, which may cause problems. For example, a difference may exist between the minimum ages required to work and the minimum age to drop out of school (see Table 3). In many countries (Costa Rica, Thailand, Sri Lanka), the minimum working age is lower than the required age of compulsory education, giving children access to employment before they have even completed the minimum amount of schooling.
Work that does not interfere with education (light work) is permitted from the age of 12 years under the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 138. .
Almost three-quarters (171 million) of the child laberors work in dangerous conditions, such as working in mines, working with chemicals and pesticides in agriculture or working with dangerous machinery. They are everywhere, but invisible, working as domestic servants in homes, labouring behind the walls of workshops, hidden from view in plantations. .
Table 3:.
Compulsory Education and Minimum Age Work Regulations in Selected Countries.
Minimum Age for Work .
Country Compulsory Education.
Required Age Basic Minimum Work Age Light Work Dangerous Work.
Bangladesh 10 14 12 16-18.
