Morocco Reports 200,000 Child Workers, 23.5% Decrease Since 2017

On the occasion of World Day Against Child Labor, celebrated on June 12 under the theme "Covid-19: Protect children from child labor, now more than ever!", the HCP estimates that 119,000 children are engaged in hazardous work.

Four regions are affected by child labor. Casablanca-Settat is in the lead with 27.9%, followed by Marrakech-Safi (16.1%), Fès-Meknès (13.1%) and Rabat-Salé-Kénitra (11%). In urban areas, there are 30,000 of these children, constituting 83.1% of active children, reports la Map.

According to the survey statistics, there is a predominance of male children over female children engaged in hazardous work. It is also noted that 12.1% of children engaged in hazardous work are currently in school.

According to the same source, the type of work varies depending on the child’s environment. In rural areas, for example, children work in agriculture, forestry and fishing. In the city, they are concentrated in services in industry and crafts.

Statistics from the International Labor Organization (ILO) show that 218 million children between the ages of 5 and 17 are economically active worldwide.