I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

The Candidate Countries North Macedonia*, Montenegro^*, Serbia^*, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina^* and Georgia as well as Armenia and San Marino align themselves with this statement.

The EU and its Member States are deeply committed to the eradication of child labour, with a priority to its worst forms, and to fostering and protecting children’s rights in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. 

We stand today at a critical juncture in the fight against child labour. Despite some years of progress, the numbers of children affected by child labour are beyond imagination. Around the world, children continue to be victims of forced labour, child labour, modern slavery, human trafficking and other forms of exploitation. The need to see more results towards eliminating child labour is even more evident. 

Regrettably, SDG target 8.7 on ending child labour in all its forms by 2025 will not be met. 

We reaffirm our strong commitment to the children and armed conflict agenda. The recently adopted EU Guidelines on Children and Armed Conflict reinforce our determination to protect children affected by armed conflict and to prevent their recruitment and use.

We call for a universal ratification and implementation of the Minimum Age Convention and the effective implementation of the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, as well as the respect and promotion of all fundamental principles and rights at work. We further call for strengthened cooperation with the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, and urge for the implementation of action plans with listed parties to conflict.

It is crucial that we take decisive action to tackle these challenges and to ensure that the fight against child labour, including within supply chains, continues to stay high on the global agenda. 

The World Social Summit and the Global Coalition for Social Justice have a key role to play in this regard. We also underline the importance of fuelling partnerships such as Alliance 8.7 and with other UN agencies including through the UN Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions, IFIs and civil society organisations. 

Corporate due diligence, as defined in the global consensus of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy, is of paramount importance to realizing decent work in supply chains, including eliminating child labour. 

The EU has recently adopted a Forced Labour Regulation, which bans companies from placing products made with forced labour—including forced child labour—on the EU market or exporting them from the EU. In addition, the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive will require large companies to identify and address the adverse human rights impacts in their supply chains, including those related to child labour.

Promoting due diligence for sustainable supply chains, and supporting partner governments, local actors and businesses, especially in the most affected countries is of critical importance. 

We continuously work to address the root causes of child labour by tackling poverty, inequalities, increasing access to quality education and social protection. 

For instance, through the CLEAR Cotton project, we are working with the ILO and FAO to eliminate child labour in all its forms in the cotton, textile and garment value chains in Burkina Faso, Mali, Pakistan and Peru. 

The EU’s Child Guarantee aims to ensure that every child has access to free early education and care, free healthcare and at least one healthy meal each school day for free. 

The EU is committed to dedicate 10% of the aid to partner countries in the education sector which will contribute to reducing child labour.

We need to accelerate all necessary efforts to protect and safeguard the rights of all children, and to ensure that they can enjoy their childhood free from all forms of exploitation and abuse.

Thank you.

* North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.