The List of countries by child labour rate provides rankings of countries based on their rates of child labour. Child labour is defined by the International Labour Organization (ILO) as participation in economic activity by underage persons aged 5 to 17. Child work harms children, interferes with their education, and prevents their development. The prevalence of child labour is notable in regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East and North Africa. In 2025, nearly 138 million children worldwide were working, compared to around 160 million in 2020.
List The list of child labour rates according to ILO estimates.
CountryChild labour rate in %YearTotalMaleFemale53.552.254.9202042.445.239.4202240.140.639.5202133.438.532.8201430.933.827.8202430.430.030.7202228.128.727.6202226.726.027.4202325.933.317.9201225.932.918.5201925.723.727.8202225.631.819.0202124.724.325.1202224.120.128.1202021.922.221.4202321.622.420.2201221.120.821.52019–2021.022.119.8202021.022.519.6201719.521.117.8201619.219.019.3201418.721.415.9202118.416.720.2202218.417.319.52018–1918.021.614.3202317.821.114.52021–2216.216.715.7202116.017.814.22021–2215.618.812.3202115.116.014.12022–2315.015.015.0202215.016.913.02020–2114.714.215.3202013.813.813.8201513.315.610.92022–2312.917.58.2202312.812.413.3202212.613.112.0202312.215.58.9202211.311.011.72021–2210.911.610.3202210.89.911.72014–1510.411.19.620219.78.910.42015–169.111.16.820198.612.64.720228.511.15.620238.211.15.420188.18.77.620157.78.46.920187.710.05.32022–237.18.65.52018–197.09.54.420226.98.74.920226.810.13.220216.76.17.420196.39.23.32019–206.06.85.120235.86.74.920225.75.26.22020–215.76.25.220225.66.74.520225.55.95.020225.47.03.92019–214.95.14.62019–204.97.22.620234.86.42.920234.35.33.220214.35.92.620224.25.43.020224.14.63.620234.15.72.22019–204.04.63.420194.04.33.720173.94.92.720153.85.51.92019–203.73.83.520223.73.44.02019–203.75.12.320103.53.93.22016–173.44.02.720183.43.83.020223.44.42.420183.14.12.020193.14.31.920183.14.31.720192.94.11.620232.83.42.120102.63.02.120222.43.41.62018–192.23.21.220132.22.22.120121.92.51.32018–191.92.41.520231.92.41.420121.92.41.320151.82.11.52016–171.71.61.720101.7 – –20211.72.31.220231.52.01.020221.52.10.920151.31.80.820221.21.70.820121.22.20.220161.21.41.020221.01.40.520230.80.90.620160.71.10.420230.30.40.12015–16
By region
RegionChild labour rate in %(Ages 5–17 in 2020)TotalMaleFemaleAfrica18.020.315.6Latin America and the Caribbean4.35.53.0Northern America0.20.30.1Northern Europe0.20.20.1Eastern Europe4.65.24.0Western Europe0.20.20.1Southern Europe1.31.51.0Eastern Asia2.83.91.6South-Eastern Asia9.210.97.4Central Asia11.913.110.7Western Asia6.37.45.1Southern Asia4.55.82.9Pacific Islands7.78.86.5
References
External links Child labour at Our World in Data