"In 2021, among the 7,493,000 children aged 7 to 17, Morocco has 148,000 children engaged in economic activity, which represents 2% of this category of population," said the HCP in an information note published on the occasion of the World Day against Child Labor (June 12).

This share is 3.8% in rural areas (119,000 children) and 0.7% in urban areas (29,000 children), said the same source, adding that compared to 2019, the number of working children has decreased by 26%.

These children are 80.4% rural, 79.5% male and 87.5% aged 15 to 17 years, said the HCP. In addition, 12.1% of them are in school, 85.7% have left school and 2.2% have never attended school.

Nearly 65% of working children have medical coverage, while this proportion rises to 75% for all children aged 7 to 17.

At the same time, the note points out that the phenomenon of child labor is concentrated in certain economic sectors and differs according to place of residence. Thus, in rural areas, 82.2% of children work in "agriculture, forestry and fishing".

In urban areas, "services", with 58.4%, and "industry", with 24.7%, are the main sectors employing children, notes the same source, noting that nearly three quarters of rural working children are family helpers; in urban areas, 45.2% of working children are employees, 27.5% are apprentices and 20.5% are family helpers.

The HCP also reported that nearly 6 out of 10 working children (59.4%) perform hazardous work (88,000 children), which represents 1.2% of children in this age group.

It explained that hazardous work is any work which, by its nature or conditions, is likely to harm the child's health, safety or morals, any work performed for an excessive period of time in relation to the age of the child, as well as any work whose schedule is partially or entirely night work.

Of the children engaged in hazardous work, 73.7% are rural, 88.6% are male, and 81.9% are between 15 and 17 years old.

By sector, children working in industry remain the most exposed to hazards, with a share of 90.2%. This proportion is 73.3% in services, 71.2% in construction and public works (BTP), and 51.1% in agriculture, forestry and fishing.