Save the Children's Resource Centre

Protection of Children from Harmful Work

It is estimated that there are over 115 million girls and boys who are engaged in harmful work. Harmful work is any work that is likely to be hazardous or to interfere with the child’s education. It could also be work that is harmful to the child’s health or physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development. Some of the children who are engaged in hazardous work experience its worst forms – including slavery, forced and bonded work, child trafficking, illicit activities, and involvement in armed conflict, prostitution or pornography.

Save the Children recognizes that not all forms of work is harmful. While some forms of work violate the rights of children, other forms of work do not, such as light work that can be combined with schooling or work where young people are not exposed to hazards that impact on their wellbeing. Many children and youths currently receive benefits from being economically active.

In Save the Children’s programs, guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the best interests of the child principle and through the involvement and participation of children themselves, Save the Children addresses the complexity of the broad issue of children and work through an integral approach. It combines our expertise in child protection, economic strengthening, health and education to create opportunities for the children to become healthy, educated and empowered citizens. We do advocacy work on social protection for the prevention of harmful work and conduct awareness raising programmes in communities, where children, parents and employers are involved.

Photo: Ahmad Baroudi/Save the Children

Inter-Agency Toolkit: Supporting the protection needs of child labourers in emergencies

Historically, the response to child labour in emergencies has been inadequate, but it is increasingly recognised as a growing issue in many emergencies, and is no longer only considered a development issue. With children’s needs addressed more holisticall

Publication year: 2016 Publisher(s): Child Labour Task Force | The Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action
Children's Rights: The ultimate definition of sustainability

Children’s rights are an essential investment in a sustainable future. Safeguarding these rights helps build the strong, well-educated communities that are vital to creating stable, inclusive and productive societies. The private sector impacts children’s

Publication year: 2016 Publisher(s): Save the Children Author(s): Höök, Lina | Lignell, Mats
Out of School and Out of Work: Risk and opportunities for Latin America's Ninis

Children and adolescents who neither work nor go to school are often known as ‘ninis’ throughout Latin America. One in five youths in the region are living as ninis. This persistent problem, according to the World Bank Group, needs to be given closer cons

Publication year: 2016 Publisher(s): World Bank Group Author(s): de Hoyos, Rafael | Rogers, Halsey | Székely, Miguel
Every Last Child: Films

These short films, published in conjunction with Save the Children’s Every Last Child Campaign, interview children in Lebanon and South Africa who face discrimination, neglect, and exclusion. Globally, the Every Last Child report shows there are more than

Publication year: 2016 Publisher(s): Save the Children
Child Poverty and Child Clubs: Making time to learn, play and act for change

Bangladesh has made much progress in socio-economic development however widespread poverty and inequalities persist, with about 32 million children continuing to live in poverty out of a total of 63 million children. Children from very poor households hav

Publication year: 2016 Publisher(s): Save the Children
The Frontrunner of Chaon: Improving the lives of children in cotton growing districts of Pakistan

Save the Children implemented a child rights program, titled as CHAON “Children's Action against Oppression and Neglect” in 200 villages of Muzaffargarh (Punjab) and 150 villages of Sanghar (Sindh) from 2009 to 2014. This Program was implemented with the

Publication year: 2016 Publisher(s): Save the Children
Análisis de género. Niños, niñas y adolescentes trabajadores en las regiones de Cusco, Ica y Ayacucho

Child labor is a social phenomenon that has become one of the great problems of the contemporary world. In Peru, there are 1 659 000 working children, of which 832 000 are under 14 years of age, the minimum age to be able to work according to the laws of

Publication year: 2016 Publisher(s): Save the Children Author(s): Barrantes, Gonzalo Escalante | Takata, Carmen Barrantes | Arévalo, Liseth Vergaray
Working to End Violence Against Children: Save the Children's Child Protection 2016-18 Thematic Plan

Save the Children's child protection thematic plan for 2016-2018 presents Save the Children's goals and targets to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and contributions to Save the Children's 2030 breakthroughs: No child dies from preventable

Publication year: 2015 Publisher(s): Save the Children
Save the Children's Child Protection Video

The Child Protection Initiative has produced an animated video that communicates Save the Children's child protection work and the impact on children's lives as seen by children. "Violence against children is no longer tolerated" is the new Global Breakth

Publication year: 2015 Publisher(s): Save the Children
Child Protection in Emergencies Facts and Figures

Compiled by the Child Protection Working Group (CPWG), this report presents facts and figures on child protection in emergencies. Data was collected for the 42 countries that have a Humanitarian Coordinator or that were on the Inter-Agency's Standing Comm

Publication year: 2015 Publisher(s): CPWG, The Child Protection Working Group