The document discusses child labor, defining it as work performed by children below the legal age that is considered exploitative and harmful. It outlines the global scale of child labor, with 158 million children aged 5-14 estimated to be laborers. Key factors driving child labor are poverty, lack of access to education, and high demand for cheap child workers. The document also describes international efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labor, including conventions by the ILO and UNICEF establishing age limits and prohibiting hazardous and exploitative work.