Luanda: At least 5,005 cases of child labor exploitation were registered in Angola from January to May of this year by the National Institute for Children (INAC).

According to Angola Press News Agency, the "SOS Children" report by INAC highlighted an increase of 3,887 cases compared to the same period in 2025. The report, sent to ANGOP on Friday in conjunction with the World Day Against Child Labor, noted that 3,455 cases were recorded in 2025. This represented a significant reduction of 51.4% compared to 2024, which had 7,108 cases.

The report emphasizes the progress made in 2025; however, it also acknowledges that child labor in Angola remains a persistent structural challenge. The document calls for the strengthening of social policies to support families, highlighting the ongoing need for intensified labor inspection actions, educational outreach, social protection measures, and community mobilization.

INAC underscores that combating child labor necessitates an integrated, sustainable, and territorially based approach. This approach requires collaboration among the State, civil society, communities, and international partners. The report praises the government's vision, which led to the creation of the National Action Plan for the Eradication of Child Labor (PANETI). This plan involves the integration of nine ministerial departments, 21 provincial governments, and several private partners.

The World Day Against Child Labor was established in 2002 by the International Labour Organization (ILO), a United Nations agency. The event aims to promote the right of all children to be protected from child exploitation and other violations of their fundamental rights, as well as to combat all types of child labor. According to the ILO, approximately 160 million children are currently in situations of child labor worldwide.