Fully Committed to Combating Child Labor, Morocco Advocates Global Approaches

Morocco, fully committed to combating child labor thanks to the positive results achieved at the national level, is advocating solutions that can be transposed to a global level, Minister of Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Employment, and Skills, Younes Sekkouri, said in Geneva on Wednesday.

“Morocco has made significant strides and continues its efforts to eliminate child labor. By hosting the 6th International Conference on this issue in February 2026, it hopes to have a much greater impact on a global scale,” noted Sekkouri, speaking at a high-level event marking the 2025 World Day Against Child Labor (June 12).

According to the minister, Morocco has reduced child labor by 55% since 2017. Out of 7.78 million children between the ages of 7 and 17, approximately 110,000 were engaged in economic activity in 2023—just 1.4% of that age group.

Of those 1.4% working children, 60% were involved in family-based work, particularly in rural areas, he noted, adding that while these situations don’t meet the traditional definition of child labor, “such cases should no longer exist.”

The minister outlined key strategies that have enabled Morocco to confront the issue effectively, such as prevention, notably through the nationwide expansion of social protection programs. This ambitious initiative, launched under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, now supports 7 million children, he said.

He also mentioned the government’s program to extend preschool education to all children aged four and over, a project carried out in collaboration with NGOs and based on a business model adapted to local realities.

Sekkouri then underscored the role of “governance,” which is “at the heart of the process if we are to achieve very positive results.” He pointed to specialized monitoring and inspection programs coordinated with the judicial system, as well as progress in aligning Morocco’s legal framework with international standards through the ratification of global conventions and protocols.

He also mentioned the difficulty of transposing the many local experiences to an international level. “This is a point on which we need to focus at the international level and determine the conditions that will enable local experiences to expand and cover the problem globally,” he continued.

In this respect, Sekkouri stressed the importance of multilateral partnerships, which “must be encouraged to provide innovative solutions.”

The event, held on the sidelines of the 113th International Labour Conference (June 2–13), was organized by Morocco’s Permanent Mission to the UN and the International Labour Organization (ILO). It marked the launch of a joint ILO–UNICEF report presenting the latest global estimates on child labor.

With participation from ministers across Latin America and Asia, along with senior European officials, the event gathered ILO stakeholders and partners to reflect on new data, global trends, and the urgent steps needed to accelerate progress.

It was an opportunity to reflect on progress made and the urgent need for stronger action to achieve global goals. On this occasion, the ILO called for full ratification of its Minimum Age Convention No. 138 and implementation of its Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention No. 182.