United Nations Radio

A new report from the International Labour Office warns that the global financial crisis could push an increasing number of children, particularly girls, into child labour.

Mother and children collecting firewood

While recent global estimates indicate the number of children involved in child labour has been falling, the report notes that the financial crisis threatens to erode this progress. The danger of girls being forced into child labour is linked to evidence that in many countries families give preference to boys when making decisions on education of children. As the crisis pushes millions of families deeper into poverty, those families may have tough decisions to make about which children they can afford to educate and which children must stay at home. The International Labour Organization (ILO) prepared this report.

One of 169 countries who have ratified an ILO convention on eliminating the worst forms of child labour, Mongolia was hoping to have the issue under control by 2015.

But now it must face a new obstacle to progress -- the global financial crisis - which has slashed world prices for its copper, other metals, and even its cashmere, while reducing the amount of remittances.

Observers say shrinking incomes could mean that many families are forced to choose which children will get an education.

And with some 30 percent of its 2.7 million population already living below the poverty level, more and more Mongolian families are affected.

"I sometimes work for 3 to 4 hours a day at the dumpsite. But it was not my will. I had to. There were other people working there, young and old."
"I want to study instead. I want to study well, find a decent job so I can take care of my family."

The financial and economic crisis threatens to undo much of the progress already made by Mongolia and other countries.

"The Mongolian government aims to eliminate the worst forms of child labour by 2015. Child labour issues are addressed in the government's action plan. Different programmes were developed accordingly to ensure the implementation of the plan. Therefore, we hope that we will achieve the goal."

With ILO support, Mongolia has made the elimination of child labour a high priority, for example, setting up informal training centres for children who may have dropped out of formal education.

Studies have shown that educating girls is one of the most effective ways of fighting poverty. Educated girls will benefit their families. They will also contribute to their societies and work places.

Tomokhuu Otgontsetseg used to sell pirated goods at a local market,

It was very hard because the authorities would sometimes harass us and confiscate the goods. I would lose everything."

Now, with help from an informal training centre - she is studying to become a dance instructor, giving lessons at a youth centre in the capital Ulaanbataar and earning enough money so she no longer has to sell illegal goods.

With more than 200 million children in at work worldwide and nearly half of those girls, the challenge to eliminate child labor may seem as vast as the Mongolian plains. The trick in these tough economic times is to not give up any ground.

PRES: That report was prepared by the International Labour Organization in Geneva.

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