A child working a carpet loom in Lahore, Pakistan (file photo) (official site)
May 4, 2006 -- The International Labor Organization (ILO) today released a report showing that some 218 million children are involved in child labor around the world.
The report said the worst region for child labor is sub-saharan Africa, where more than a quarter of children are at work.
But the ILO says the situation is improving. It says better education, and poverty eradication schemes, coupled with stronger political will, resulted in an 11 percent reduction in child labor between 2000 and 2004.
The organization says that if present trends continue, the worst forms of child labor could be eradicated in 10 years.
(dpa, AFP)