Peer-reviewed article
Eliminating Child Labour in the Digital Era, Climate Change Situation, and Sustainable Business
Aye Sudarto, Hevi Oktiawati, Muhammad Bisri Mustofa ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This paper discusses child labour globally, noting that over 160 million children worldwide are engaged in labour, with nearly half in hazardous work. It examines how the digital era creates both opportunities through improved education access and monitoring, and risks through new unregulated forms of employment that enable exploitation. The paper argues that eliminating child labour requires a multidisciplinary approach combining education, occupational health and safety, social protection, and cross-sector partnerships aligned with the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.
Key points
- Over 160 million children worldwide are engaged in child labour, with nearly half involved in hazardous work
- Digital technology can improve access to education, skills training, and monitoring of fair labour practices
- Digitalization creates new unregulated forms of employment that open opportunities for child labour exploitation, especially in the informal economy and e-commerce
- Child labour reflects weak social protection systems, limited access to education, and inadequate labour regulations
- Eliminating child labour requires a multidisciplinary approach integrating education, occupational health and safety, social protection, and cross-sector partnerships
Limitations
This document appears to be a conceptual or policy analysis paper rather than an empirical study, so it does not present primary data or evaluate specific interventions with measurable outcomes. It does not provide detailed analysis specific to Indonesia despite the country hint.
Abstract
Child labour is a stark manifestation of severe social and economic inequality, as well as a reflection of weak social protection systems, limited access to education, and inadequate labour regulations in many countries. Data from the International Labour Organization (ILO) indicate that over 160 million children worldwide are engaged in labour, nearly half of whom are involved in hazardous work that threatens their safety, health, and development. The digital era presents both opportunities and challenges regarding this issue. On the one hand, digital technology can be leveraged to improve access to education, skills training, and the monitoring of fair labour practices. On the other hand, digitalization also creates new forms of employment that are not yet fully regulated by law, opening opportunities for the exploitation of child labour—especially in the informal economy, e-commerce, and online-based domestic industries. Child labour remains a serious challenge amid global changes in the world of work. To respond to this issue effectively in the future, a multidisciplinary approach is needed—one that integrates education, occupational health and safety, social protection, and cross-sector partnerships. By upholding the principles of social justice and the fundamental rights of workers, the world can advance toward the total elimination of child labour in line with the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.