Education is a key tool in preventing child labour while child labour acts as an obstacle to children attending school. Universal access to education, and particularly to free and compulsory education of good quality secured until the minimum age for entry to employment, is a critical factor in the struggle against the economic exploitation of children. Through its programmes UNESCO helps children acquire basic education and enrol in primary and secondary schools so that they are not vulnerable or subject to child labour. UNESCO is part of the Global Task Force on Child Labour and Education for All, together with ILO, UNICEF, the World Bank, UNDP, Education International and the Global March against Child Labour. The Task Force objective is to contribute to the achievement of EFA through: 

• Mass public information campaigns and community mobilization to increase awareness about the rights of working children at all levels of society and legislation related to child labour.
• Access to free and compulsory education of good quality, secured until the minimum age for entry to employment.
• Measures to bring girls to school and keep them in school including security and the provision of adequate sanitation, girl-friendly methodologies and vocational training in practical life skills leading to further formal vocational training.
• Initiatives to attract higher numbers of women teachers to teach in rural and slum areas and training for male teachers in girl-friendly pedagogical approaches.
• Development of life skills training programmes for child labourers.
• Legislation to guarantee access to education and prevent child labour.
• Codes of conduct and procurement policies for employers regarding child labour.
• Universal child registration at birth and protection of a child’s right to official proof of age.