Nepal continues to face a serious challenge in eliminating child labour. National estimates indicate that 1.1 million children are engaged in child labour, with 220,000 working in hazardous occupations. Despite notable progress, recent surveys show that child labour persists in sectors such as brick kilns, woollen carpets and entertainment, underscoring the urgent need for stronger, coordinated action across all levels of government.
Against this backdrop, ILO Nepal is strengthening collaboration with national and provincial partners to reinforce child labour elimination and child protection systems. As part of this effort, Numan Özcan, ILO Country Director in Nepal, visited Hetauda and Chitwan in Bagmati Province where he addressed a provincial dialogue on child labour and child protection, highlighting global and national trends and calling for integrated, multi-dimensional responses.
© ILO Nepal
To advance national commitments, the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security (MoLESS) is implementing the second National Master Plan (NMP-II) to eliminate child labour, with technical support from the ILO Nepal's Partnership for the Promotion of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (PPLL) Project. A key strategy under NMP-II is the area-based Child Labour Free Zone (CLFZ) approach, which empowers local governments to lead child labour elimination efforts. To date, 12 municipalities and rural municipalities have completed the CLFZ declaration process, involving baseline surveys, stakeholder orientation and the establishment of monitoring systems.
© ILO Nepal
Recognizing that sustainable elimination requires continuous monitoring, coordination and integration within the broader child protection system, the ILO-PPLL Project has partnered with the National Child Rights Council (NCRC). As the national authority mandated to enforce, monitor and report on child rights, NCRC is working with the ILO to strengthen provincial and local capacities to prevent, detect and respond to child labour.
As part of this collaboration, NCRC organized two key events with ILO's technical support:
- A provincial dialogue on child labour and child protection in Hetauda, Bagmati Province
- A two-day training programme for frontline actors in Sauraha, Ratnanagar Municipality, Chitwan
Addressing the provincial dialogue, chaired by the Secretary of the Ministry of Social Development, Numan Özcan emphasized the importance of provincial coordination to address the problem of child labour.
He stated, "Provinces can help connect the dots between the federal government and the local governments, as well among education, social services and labour administration, so that the CLFZ work is not a one-off event, but part of a functioning system With coordinated efforts and multi-dimensional strategies, Nepal can accelerate child labour elimination and strengthen child protection, contributing to achieving SDG 8.7."
The CLFZ approach remains a promising strategy, with more than 200 local governments engaged in the process in recent years. Stronger coordination among MoLESS, NCRC and provincial governments is essential to accelerate progress across all 753 local governments.
© ILO Nepal
Mr Özcan also commended MoLESS for its timely reporting to the ILO's Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations (CEACR) on Conventions No. 182 and No. 138, both ratified by Nepal.
The events brought together provincial officials, labour officers, NCRC coordinators, Alliance 8.7 focal persons, and representatives from child labour detection and rehabilitation centres.
Global estimate published by the ILO and UNICEF in 2024 shows nearly 138 million child labour in the world. Global estimates (ILO-UNICEF, 2024) show that 138 million children are in child labour worldwide. The estimates were jointly produced by the International Labour Organization and UNICEF.
Strengthening provincial and local capacity
In Chitwan, the ILO contributed to a two-day training programme featuring technical sessions on child labour measurement methodologies and the CLFZ approach, with a focus on:
- Child labour measurement
- Detection and monitoring
- CLFZ implementation and targeted interventions
© ILO Nepal
Looking ahead
The ILO is working closely with the National Statistics Office (NSO) to prepare for the next Labour Force Survey, which will generate updated national and provincial data on child labour, including hazardous work. These data will inform future priorities and support Nepal's progress toward SDG Target 8.7 as a Pathfinder Country.
The ILO remains committed to supporting the Government of Nepal, workers' and employers' organizations, and civil society partners to eliminate child labour and strengthen child protection systems nationwide.
