India

Work No Child’s Business in India

Child labour in India

Fact & Figures

In India, 13.2 million children (aged 6 – 14) and adolescents (aged 15-18) between were engaged in child labour in 2024, representing 4% of all children and adolescents in this age group (UNICEF, 2024).

In Bihar, child labour is found in sectors such as agriculture and in small businesses such as restaurants, farms, hotels and shops. In Rajasthan, children work mainly in the natural stone industry. The state’s abundance of mineral resources continues to drive children into hazardous occupations, particularly in cobble yards and homeworking, posing significant risks to their health and well-being. The main source of child labour in Delhi and National Capital Region is home labour in the garment industry.

WNCB main results

In India the programme had an impressive scope and impact. Partners are present in 3 states, 18 Districts, 20 Blocks, 12 Urban Wards, 118 Gram Panchayats and 657 villages. The programme realized a significant overall decrease in children engaged in child labour in the programme areas, dropping from 43% at baseline to 5% in 2024.

Although all the age groups indicated a reduction, boys aged 15-17 saw a slight increase from 2022 to 2024. Most of these boys were found to be involved in non-hazardous work. Overall, we found that boys had consistently higher rates of involvement in child labour than girls at all ages and points in time. However, both genders experienced a significant decline in participation in child labour throughout the programme period.