Syrian Labor Minister Diala Haj Aref said Saturday that Syria is facing real difficulties in fighting against child labor which is rampant in the country, Xinhua reported.
Fighting child labor, which emerged largely due to poverty, is no easy task, the minister said during a workshop held here to discuss the government's national plan against child labor.
"Child labor is a serious issue in Syria, and the government, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the International Labor Organization (ILO) all look at it as an issue of concern," UNICEF representative Sherazade Boualia said in November.
Experts attributed the growth of child labor to long-run economic constraints such as the decline of oil production, high unemployment and inflation, increasing pressure on water supplies.