Child labour refers to work that is mentally, physically, socially, or morally harmful to children or interferes with their education, robbing them of their childhood and future potential. While not all work done by children is classified as child labour, harmful and exploitative forms of child labour remain a significant barrier to sustainable development and the realization of children’s rights.

Child labour is a pressing global issue and one of the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work defined by the International Labour Organization. These principles, which also include the elimination of forced labour, the abolition of discrimination in employment, freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining, and the right to a safe and healthy working environment, serve as a foundation for achieving decent work for all and a fair globalization.

In recent decades, substantial progress has been made toward the elimination of child labour, thanks to concerted global advocacy, national mobilization, and legislative action. Between 2000 and 2016, child labour declined by 38%, but progress slowed between 2012 and 2016 and, alarmingly, reversed by 2021, with 160 million children estimated to be in child labour. This marked the first global increase in two decades, underscoring the urgency of renewed action. International effort have sought to reinvigorate commitments under Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 8.7: to eliminate child labour in all its forms by 2025.

While achieving this goal within the original timeframe is now unlikely, it is never too late to act. By working collectively, we can guarantee every child the opportunity to realize their full potential and build a brighter future.

The purpose of this residential course is to enhance the understanding of participants regarding the sustained eradication of child labour.

As a result of this course participants will have:

• Enhanced their understanding of child labour, and the means of eradicating it;
• Become more familiar with the key policy responses, global partnership platforms as well as other intervention models that have proved effective in eliminating child labour;
• Understood how organizations, governments and other actors can accelerate results and be more effective in reducing child labour through partnerships;
• Consider actions they can undertake alone or in collaboration with other actors.

Some of the topics that will be covered by the course:

• What is child labour? How is it defined in international conventions, national law and in practice? What are the worst forms of child labour? What is hazardous work and how national lists are created? How to understand and use ILO supervisory mechanisms to detect gaps in the elimination of child labour.
• The latest global estimates on child labour, focus sectors and regions.
• How to tackle child labour: what experience has demonstrated effective, examples of intervention models to address child labour through labour inspection, OSH, education, and social protection extension.
• Abolishing child labour in supply chains, particularly in agriculture and the role of enterprises and human rights due diligence.
• What can you/your organization do about child labour working alone or in cooperation or partnership with other actors; what are some example of partnership frameworks to accelerate and sustain efforts in view of the elimination of child labour.

• Direct engagement with global experts with decades of international experience on child labour.
• Opportunities to interact and network with other actors to share learning and best practices on how to tackle child labour
• Gain access to resources and good practices on child labour.

The course is aimed at representatives of international and regional organizations, the private sector, civil society organizations, and ILO constituents. Representatives of Alliance 8.7 Pathfinder Countries or ILO Members States willing to become a pathfinder country are especially welcome.

The course consists of a one-week residential program from 9 to 13 June 2025, at the ITCILO Campus in Turin, Italy. The estimated learning hours are thirty-six (36).

Participants are expected to complete and submit, by the end of the week an End-ofcourse assignment applying the content of the course to the context in which each participant will consider follow-up action on child labour.

Participants who successfully complete the knowledge assessments and the final assignment will receive a Certificate of Participation.