"We are beginning to see signs of a reduction in child labor -- especially its hazardous forms -- in many parts of the world," said ILO Director General Juan Somavia on Thursday in a letter accompanying the agency's 74-page report, "The End of Child Labor: Within Reach."

"The number of child laborers globally has fallen by 11 percent over the last four years," he said. "That's 28 million fewer children at work. And the sharpest decline is in the area of hazardous work by children where we have seen a 26 percent reduction."

Somavia said the report "tells us that more girls and boys around the world are on the path from workrooms to classrooms, out of exploitation toward real opportunity," debunking the idea that child labor is just a fact of life.

"A future without child labor is within our grasp," the report explains. "Significant progress is being made in global efforts to end child labor, but much remains still to be done -- progress should not lead to complacency. A strong and sustained global effort is still required."

Somavia cited "courageous women and men spurring grassroots movements... committed communities joining hands to say child labor has no place where we live... visionary leaders who have committed the resources to make things happen, consumers rejecting products made by the hands of children (and) employer and worker organizations contributing their voices and full support."

But one of the biggest social forces was "children and youth in schools mobilizing in solidarity... to expose and end child labor," he said. "They represent the emergence of a genuine worldwide movement against child labor and they are the real heroes. Their efforts have been coupled with increased political will."

The report said, "In 2004 there were 218 million children trapped in child labor of which 126 million were in hazardous work. Though the participation of girls in child labor and hazardous work is on a par with boys in the youngest age group (5-11 years), boys predominate very considerably at older ages in both categories.

"However, the number of child laborers globally fell by 11 percent over the last four years while those engaged in hazardous work decreased by 26 percent," it continued. "For the age group of 5-14 years the decline in hazardous work was even steeper, by 33 percent.

"The global picture that emerges is that child work is declining, and the more harmful the work and the more vulnerable the children involved, the faster the decline."

Latin America and the Caribbean are making the greatest progress; the number of working children in these regions has fallen by two-thirds over the last four years with just 5 percent of children now employed. The least progress has been made in sub-Saharan Africa where population growth, HIV/AIDS infection and child labor remain alarmingly high.

The report presents country examples from East Asia, including China, and from Brazil to illustrate that in addition to poverty reduction, the decision to focus on mass education is an important prerequisite for moving countries towards tackling child labor.

The ILO sees its work as a critical influence.

Somavia said the convention on the worst forms of child labor has seen the most ratifications in the shortest time for any convention in ILO history -- 159 ratifications in seven years.

At last September's U.N. World Summit, global leaders endorsed the elimination of child labor as a major element in achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

"It is a sound investment," the ILO chief said. "Research indicates that the benefits of eliminating child labor exceed the costs by six to one."

He said the report sets out the goal of eliminating the worst forms of child labor in the next ten years.

"It can be done," Somavia said. "In fact, more than 30 countries have already set similar or even earlier target dates."

He called for "decent work for parents. Quality education for children. Real opportunity for young people. Dignity for all."

But he said getting there is difficult and complex.

"In this 21st century, no child should be brutalized by exploitation or be placed in hazardous work," the ILO chief said. "No child should be denied access to education. No child should have to work for his or her survival."

Said the report, "Economic growth alone will not eliminate child labor, though clearly it is important. Policy choices matter, and those which open gateways of opportunity for poor people, are central to efforts aimed at eliminating child labor."

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