Around the world, millions of children are victims of economic and sexual exploitation.
According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), in 2023, more than 160 million children were forced to work, often in unsafe conditions or deprived of their right to education. In Africa, this situation is particularly worrying in countries affected by poverty, instability or conflict, where children work in agriculture, mining, households or on the streets.
Exploitation is not limited to forced labour: many children are victims of trafficking, prostitution or sexual exploitation. According to UNICEF, about 1 in 10 children in Africa are exposed to severe forms of exploitation. These violations destroy children, compromise health and education, and deepen poverty and vulnerability.
The European Union’s measures
The European Union considers the protection of children from exploitation to be a political and humanitarian priority. It acts on several fronts:
Prevention and protection programmes: The EU funds projects in Africa and other regions to protect vulnerable children, provide psychosocial support, enable access to education and help with the reintegration of children released from forced labour o traffic.
Legislation and responsible trade: The EU adopts laws and directives to ensure that products imported into the European market do not come from child labour. For example, some agricultural or mining products are subject to strict checks to ensure that they do not involve child exploitation.
Advocacy and international cooperation: The EU works with the UN, UNICEF and local NGOs to raise awareness among communities and governments on children’s rights, prevention of exploitation and the fight against trafficking.
Concrete impact
These actions have already reduced the number of children working in hazardous conditions in some areas and increased school enrolment for vulnerable children. In some West African countries, EU support has helped to send thousands of children out of forced labour and into school, provide them with psychosocial counselling, and protect girls from early marriage and sexual exploitation.
The exploitation of children is a serious reality that threatens millions of children around the world, particularly in Africa. The European Union’s action, through protection programmes, legislative measures and international cooperation, shows that it is possible to prevent such abuse and to provide children with a safe and dignified future. The protection of children from forced labour and exploitation is a moral and political imperative, and the EU is asserting itself as a key player in defending this fundamental right globally.