Child Labor Numbers Decreased in 2021

The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) recorded a decrease in the number of child workers in 2021, namely 1.05 million children, or 1.82% of the total.

Four years prior, in 2017, the number of child workers reached 1.27 million, representing 2.06%. In 2018, this figure decreased to 1.02 million children (1.74%).

A further decrease occurred in 2019, with 920,000 child workers (1.58%). However, in 2020, the number increased to 1.33 million children (2.30%).

"In 2021, the number of child workers decreased after increasing due to the Covid-19 pandemic, although it remains higher than before the pandemic in 2019," wrote the BPS in its report published on Tuesday (January 24th).

The BPS calculated the number and proportion of child workers using disaggregation based on Law Number 13/2003 concerning Manpower. This is because the Indonesian law's definition of a child worker is higher than the Global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The criteria are as follows:

* Children aged 5-12 years who work more than 1 hour per week.
* Children aged 13-14 years who work more than 15 hours per week.
* Children aged 15-17 years who work more than 40 hours per week.

These findings are from the National Labor Force Survey (Sakernas) conducted from August 2017 to 2021.

(See also: The Number of Child Workers in Indonesia Increased in 2020)