GENEVA, Switzerland, May 4 (UPI) -- The International Labor Organization Thursday said child labor, especially in its worst forms, is in decline worldwide for the first time.
The ILO said in a report that if the current decline continues, child labor could feasibly be eliminated in its most egregious forms in 10 years.
"The end of child labor is within our reach", said Juan Somavia, ILO's director-general. "Though the fight against child labor remains a daunting challenge, we are on the right track. We can end its worst forms in a decade, while not losing sight of the ultimate goal of ending all child labor."
The new report, which singles out Brazil and Mexico for notable progress, says the actual number of child laborers worldwide fell by 11 percent between 2000 and 2004, from 246 million to 218 million.
What's more, the number of children and youth aged 5-17 trapped in hazardous work decreased by 26 percent, to 126 million in 2004, opposed to 171 million in the previous estimate, the ILO report said.
