Morocco’s Minister of Employment Younes Sekkouri said Wednesday that the country has recorded a significant decline in child labor, with the rate dropping to less than 1.3%.
Speaking at the 6th Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour in Marrakesh, Sekkouri stated that the national efforts also include banning child labor for those under the age of 15, while reinforcing oversight of working conditions for adolescents aged 15 to 18, particularly in hazardous sectors.
The governmental official further highlighted the adoption of a specific legal framework to protect female domestic workers, in addition to legislation aimed at combating human trafficking.
This progress reflects Morocco’s commitment, under the enlightened leadership of HM King Mohammed VI, to a comprehensive approach to combating child labor, centered on prevention, protection, and field intervention, he noted.
In this regard, he stressed that Morocco’s societal project views childhood not merely as a stage of human development, but as a fundamental pillar in building a society grounded in human rights and social justice. In this context, he noted that child labor has decreased by 60% between 2017 and 2024, and by 30% between 2021 and 2024.
The Minister also recalled that Morocco has ratified key international conventions, notably the Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well as ILO Convention No. 138 on the Minimum Age and Convention No. 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour.
“Morocco will carry on the efforts aimed at consolidating these achievements through social policies, and by strengthening social protection, supporting vulnerable families, and expanding access to education, working hand in hand with the civil society and all the stakeholders.”
In Sekkouri’s view, mustering efforts in favor of children is both a moral and activist commitment, reflecting a deep conviction that the future of societies starts with protecting their children.
Held under the High Patronage of HM King Mohammed VI, the conference, which runs until February 13, provides an opportunity to review the progress made and the challenges that have persisted since the 5th Global Conference held in Durban in 2022, while boosting peer learning, international cooperation, and public policy coherence at the national, regional, and global levels.
Run by the Ministry of Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Employment and Skills, in partnership with the ILO, the event seeks to highlight the links between the elimination of child labor and other fundamental principles and rights at work, to give fresh momentum to action in support of these principles and rights.
add your comment
Terms of publication : Not to offend the writer, people, sacred things, or attack religions or the divine self, and refrain from racist incitement and insults.