The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), with technical support from the International Labour Organization (ILO), has launched the ASEAN Roadmap for the Prevention of Child Labour Including the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour by 2035. This renewed commitment sets a clear pathway for the ten-year framework (2026–2035) to accelerate collective action against child labour.
The Roadmap provides practical guidance for member states to strengthen law enforcement, expand access to education and social protection, and promote responsible business practices. The strategy targets traditional threats in vulnerable sectors like agriculture and tackles fundamental root causes, including poverty, indebtedness, and barriers to education. Crucially, the Roadmap is future-focused, integrating strategies to mitigate emerging risks associated with migration, climate change, and the digital economy.
The Roadmap is organized under three strategic pillars designed for a coherent and holistic response: Prohibition focuses on strengthening law enforcement and governance to prohibit child labour practices, particularly in supply chains. Prevention tackles root causes by focusing on expanding access to quality education, promoting rural development, and extending social protection systems. Protection concentrates on strengthening cross-sectoral referral systems that can identify and offer support to children removed from the worst forms of child labour.
As a neighboring South Asian economic leader, India can benefit from and contribute to the Roadmap’s success. The framework’s structural focus on integrating policy responses against emerging risks (climate change, digital economy) and targeting the persistence of child labour in agriculture directly aligns with India’s own national challenges. The success of this regional framework, built on shared best practices in social protection and law enforcement, offers valuable blueprints for accelerating progress toward SDG Target 8.7 across South Asia.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: How can India and ASEAN establish a joint mechanism for sharing best practices on due diligence and traceability to curb child labour in shared regional supply chains?
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