be aware of child labour

The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates (1996) that there are at least 250 million child labourers aged 5–14, 150 million working on a full-time basis; in some countries 20% of child workers in rural areas are aged under 10, 5% in urban areas. Asia (excluding Japan) has an estimated 153 million child workers, Africa 80 million, and Latin America (including the Caribbean) some 17.5 million (1996). However, the estimated incidence of child labour is largest in Africa, at approximately 41% of all 5–14 year olds (two out of five children), compared with 21% in Asia (one in five), and 17% in Latin America (one in six). Child labour in Asia is declining as a result of growth in income per head, the spread of basic education, and a reduction in the size of families.