📅 15-20 May 2022
Durban, South Africa
The conference, organized in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO), takes place at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre and will feature in-person and online participation.
It comes at a critical time. Despite progress in many regions, numbers of children in child labor are rising and the COVID-19 pandemic threatens to reverse years of progress.
According to the Global Estimates on Child Labour, jointly released by the ILO and UNICEF last year, 160 million children are in child labor. Without a breakthrough in the African region, the UN will not meet Sustainable Development Goal Target 8.7.
The conference represents an opportunity to assess progress made towards achieving the goals of Target 8.7, discuss good practices implemented by the different actors around the world and identify gaps and urgent measures needed to accelerate the elimination of both child labor and forced labor. More than 2,000 participants are registered for the in-person event, with another 5,000 expected to follow and engage through the online platform.
In Durban, representatives from governments, trade unions, the private sector, civil society, regional and international organizations, think tanks, academia, and youth and children from all over the world will be hosting plenaries, presentations, and side events. Participating stakeholders include UNICEF, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the World Bank.
While only invited delegates will be traveling to Durban, the hybrid format means that a large number of people will be able to participate remotely. Some side events and presentations will be 100% virtual.
At the end of the conference, delegates will draft a Durban Call for Action – a commitment to take the necessary steps to reach the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and eliminate child labor in all its forms by 2025.
Traditionally, the conference takes place every four years. This year marks the first time an African country hosts the event. Previously, it has been held in the Americas and in Europe: in Buenos Aires in 2017, Brasilia in 2013, The Hague in 2010, and Oslo in 1997.
