ILO calls for end to child labour
Governments and businesses have been urged to collaborate to stop young people working in hazardous conditions.
According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), reducing the number of children employed in dangerous environments should be a "common and urgent priority".
Juan Somavia, director general of the group, acknowledged that progress on the issue has been made in the last few years.
However, he said the number of children working in unsafe conditions is still high.
Indeed, figures from the ILO show that by 2008, 62 million 15 to 17-year-olds were in dangerous occupations around the world.
This is 20 per cent higher than the figure recorded four years earlier.
Mr Somavia said governments and employers need to "act together to give strong leadership in shaping and implementing policies and action that can end child labour".
This comes after the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development warned that child poverty is continuing to be a major problem in many of its member states, such as Mexico.
