This is the fourth issue of the ILO’s report series: Global Estimates on Child Labour. The present report provides new global and regional estimates on child labour for the year 2012 and compares them with the previous estimates for 2000, 2004 and 2008. It is four years since the previous estimates.

The majority of chronically poor people are economically active but the poor quality of that work, including its low-pay, dangerous conditions, insecurity and irregularity means that this work frequently maintains people in poverty rather than enabling poverty escapes.

This policy is to guide and inform all laws, policies, plans and programmes affecting children. All actions and initiatives of the national, state and local government in all sectors must respect and uphold the principles and provisions of this policy.

This FAO publication points out that agriculture accounts for most of the reported child labour in the world, and livestock accounts for some 40 percent of the agricultural economy.