Under the High Patronage of King Mohammed VI and the effective presidency of Princess Lalla Meryem, the National Observatory for Children’s Rights (ONDE) launched on Friday in Rabat the National Mechanism for the Eradication of Child Labor (DNETE).
The new system is designed to provide comprehensive, individualized support for every child involved, from identification and removal from work through to reintegration, while also offering assistance to their families.
The initiative continues the King’s longstanding commitment to children’s rights and builds on ONDE’s ongoing efforts to protect the most vulnerable.
In February 2026, during the 6th Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labor held in Marrakech, ONDE contributed through thematic sessions and workshops that included children from across Africa via its regional network.
On 12 June 2026, World Day Against Child Labor, ONDE launched the national campaign “STOP Child Labor” on the instructions of Princess Lalla Meryem. The campaign, broadcast on television, in the press and on social media, reached more than 34 million views.
Despite an 80 percent decline since 1999, child labor persists. According to the High Commission for Planning’s 2025 national employment survey cited by ONDE, 1.3 percent of children aged 7 to 17 are still working, about 103,000 children.
The rate rises to 2.4 percent in rural areas compared with 0.5 percent in cities. The DNETE strengthens coordination between institutional and civil society actors. It addresses previous gaps by ensuring continuous intervention, geographic and sectoral targeting, individual case files, and economic support for families from the moment a child is withdrawn from work.
The mechanism rests on two pillars: permanent monitoring and individualized intervention.