El Boukhari: Morocco Reduces Child Labor by 55% and Prepares to Expand Its Experience Globally
Younes El Boukhari, Minister of Economic Integration, Small Enterprises, Employment, and Skills, announced that Morocco has managed to reduce the phenomenon of child labor by 55% since 2017. He stated that this decline reflects the Kingdom’s serious commitment to combating this issue and emphasizes the need for comprehensive solutions applicable worldwide.
During his participation in a high-level event held in Geneva to celebrate the World Day Against Child Labor, El Boukhari called for integrated approaches at the international level. He emphasized that Morocco is ready to share its experience with other countries following the positive results achieved nationally.
The minister clarified that the number of children engaged in economic activities in Morocco reached approximately 110,000 in 2023, out of 7.8 million children aged between 7 and 17 years, representing 1.4% of this age group. He pointed out that 60% of these children work within their families, particularly in rural areas, a situation that, despite its context, is no longer acceptable.
El Boukhari stressed that Morocco, which will host the sixth International Conference on Child Labor in 2026, aspires to create a broader impact by enhancing the exchange of successful experiences and practices with other countries around the world.
He noted that the Kingdom has relied on a range of levers to combat child labor, the most prominent of which is the expansion of social protection, currently benefiting about 7 million children as part of a major royal initiative. This also includes universal preschool education for children aged four and above, in partnership with non-governmental organizations and using a model suited to the specificities of each region.
The minister also highlighted the importance of governance in combating this phenomenon, referring to Morocco’s efforts in strengthening monitoring and inspection in coordination with the judicial authority and aligning the national legal framework with relevant international agreements.
He affirmed that expanding the scope of successful initiatives requires enhancing multilateral cooperation and seeking innovative and sustainable solutions to eliminate child labor globally.
This meeting, organized by Morocco’s permanent mission in Geneva in partnership with the International Labour Organization, also witnessed the launch of a joint report with UNICEF on the latest data concerning the phenomenon of child labor globally, attended by ministers and high-ranking officials from various countries and regions.
