The appalling increase in child labour Jul 04,2021 - Last updated at Jul 04,2021 NEW DELHI — For the first time in two decades, the number of child workers has increased. The shocking rise, from 152 million to 160 million worldwide, according to recent United Nations data, occurred in the four years that preceded the COVID-19 pandemic. There can be absolutely no excuse for this. The world took its eyes off the target, namely, the promise we made to end child labour by 2025. Today, we have made a mockery of that promise. What is even more outrageous is that the increase in child labour occurred during a period when global wealth rose by $10 trillion.