Mr. Bernd Seiffert
decent rural employmet
Mr Seiffert leads FAO’s work on ending and preventing child labour in agriculture and his previous work in FAO focused on institution building, producer organizations, rural livelihoods and participatory approaches. Before joining FAO in 1999, he worked for different organizations supporting rural development, agricultural and youth development programmes in Africa and Asia.
He holds a M. A. in sociology, political science and education and has completed postgraduate studies in agricultural and rural development, as well as in business administration.
Mr. Bernd Seiffert
Message from the facilitator
Dear participants, FSN members,
A warm thank you to all those who have contributed to and disseminated this Call for Action, which has aimed at turning local, regional and global commitment into collective action. As reported in the new ILO-UNICEF Global Estimates, 112 million child labourers were found in agriculture in early 2020, 4 million more since 2016, with the sector still accounting for 70% of all child labour. In addition, further 8.9 million girls and boys could be in child labour by the end of 2022 as a result of rising poverty driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. In this context, we hope that your engagement and action will go beyond this Call for Action, joining our efforts to reverse this intolerable trend and give back to all children their right to an educated and healthy childhood. Your contributions to the Call and the resulting outcome document will continue feeding FAO’s observance of the International Year for the Elimination of Child Labour, and contribute to the Global Event on Ending Child Labour in Agriculture on 2-3 November 2021. Closer to the Event, we will share with you all relevant information.
A warm thank you to all of you.
Bernd Seiffert
Mr. Bernd Seiffert
Message from the facilitator
Dear participants, the new ILO-UNICEF Global Estimates on Child Labour have been released. With four years left before the 2025 deadline for achieving SDG 8.7, numbers are alarming. In early 2020, 112 million child labourers were found in agriculture, marking an increase of 4 million since 2016. In relative terms, the agricultural sector is still accounting for more than 70% of all child labour. In addition, a new analysis suggests that a further 8.9 million children will be in child labour by the end of 2022 as a result of rising poverty driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. To put action to end child labour on track, we urgently need a breakthrough in agriculture. All agricultural actors can make a difference. Join our efforts and share with us your thoughts by Monday!