Around the world, many children work outside of school hours, contributing to their own development process, assisting in a family business, making some pocket money or gaining new skills.

This is in stark contrast to the lives of millions of children around the world who are trafficked, exploited economically and socially, and made to work in exploitative and often hazardous conditions such as on cocoa plantations, in food processing, textiles and in prostitution.

Children, and in particular girls, are especially vulnerable to exploitation- their sex dictating the kind of work they are expected to do with little or no community, social or legal protection.

Exploited children, including those who are trafficked, are deprived of their childhood, their right to freedom, access to education and their dignity. The unspeakable horrors to which they are subjected is an affront to our humanity.

So what can we do to reduce the risk of child exploitation in all its forms? Does our ambivalence exacerbate the situation? Are we, as consumers, driving the demand for children being trafficked into labour as well as sexual exploitation? What can businesses, trade unions and governments do to help?

Join us for this important forum on how we can help put an end to child exploitation.