Havana, June 12 (RHC)-- Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez called for the protection of children's rights on the occasion of the World Day Against Child Labor.

Despite the fact that 151.6 million children in the world are victims of prostitution, forced labor and recruitment for armed conflicts, among others, the Minister of Foreign Affairs said on his Twitter account.

"They are the hope of the world," he added in his post with the tag #World Day Against Child Labor.

With all minors of school age in educational institutions, Cuba enshrines the best interests of children in its Constitution and other laws.  In a note to date, the International Labor Organization (ILO) said that children are the first to suffer the consequences of crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is estimated that there are 152 million children in situations of child labor, of which 72 million are in hazardous work.  These children are now at even greater risk of facing even more difficult circumstances and working longer hours, the ILO said in its text.