Reports of child labor increase from 22 to 75 in 1 year in the Ribeirão Preto region In the region of Ribeirão Preto (SP), the number of reports of child labor increased significantly in the first five months of this year. According to data from the Public Ministry of Labor (MPT), registrations went from 22 registrations between January and May 2025, to 75 in the same period in 2026, which represents an increase of 245%. The scenario in the region reflects a trend observed throughout the interior of São Paulo, where the volume of complaints has more than doubled. ✅Click here to follow the g1 Ribeirão e Franca channel on WhatsApp Between January and May this year, 448 reports of exploitation of children and adolescents were recorded in municipalities in the interior of São Paulo, an increase of 102% compared to the same period last year. To combat this violation and reverse the numbers, the national campaign "Red Card to Child Labor" took advantage of the World Cup atmosphere to call on society to "take the field" in defense of children's rights. The initiative marks the World and National Day to Combat Child Labor, celebrated this week (understand below). Child labor flagrant RBS TV/Reproduction Child exploitation The campaign's warning gains even more weight given the national reality. In Brazil, around 1.65 million minors are victims of exploitation, which, according to the Public Ministry of Labor (MPT), reduces school attendance and causes irreversible physical and psychological damage, fueling a cycle of extreme poverty. For Márcia Mendes, judge at the Children and Youth Labor Court and coordinator of the Forum for the Eradication of Child Labor in Ribeirão Preto, the increase in complaints may be linked both to a real and worrying increase in cases of exploitation, and to a greater awareness of civil society in losing fear and formalizing complaints. To EPTV, an affiliate of TV Globo, she explained that the concept of child labor encompasses all exploitation of labor below the age permitted by law, which is 16 years old in Brazil. "So, everyone who works under the age of 16 is considered child labor, unless it is in the legally assisted modality, which is considered apprenticeship, where the age cutoff is 14 years old." READ ALSO Operation against child labor in Franca removes 104 teenagers from dangerous activities in the footwear, textile and meat processing sectors Motorized machines, solvents and excessive weight: teenagers away from factories in Franca were exposed to risks, says MTE The MPT points out that there is still a culture that naturalizes early work in the country, especially in informal activities, commerce and family farming. Of the total of 1.65 million young people exploited in Brazil, 560,000 are exposed to the worst forms of exploitation, such as dangerous activities, work in landfills or sexual exploitation. Recently in Franca (SP), an operation against child labor removed 104 teenagers from dangerous activities in the footwear, textile and meat processing sectors. During inspections, inspectors from the Ministry of Labor and Employment (MTE) identified approximately 60 of these teenagers operating motorized and moving machines, an activity prohibited for minors under 18 years of age. Child labor flagrant TRT-7/Reproduction Physical harm and school dropout In addition to keeping young people away from the classroom -- IBGE data shows that school attendance drops from 90.5% to 81.8% among teenagers aged 16 and 17 in irregular work situations --, the practice poses serious health risks. In 2024 alone, more than 5,600 occurrences of work accidents involving children and adolescents were recorded in Brazil. "It's harmful from a physical aspect, because he doesn't have the physical training to work with machines, with any type of work. The majority of accidents with physical, motor and even fatal losses occur in this age group. And also from a psychological point of view, because the child is removed from recreational training", says judge Márcia Mendes. According to the judge, child labor is a structural and generational problem, with poverty as its origin and end. "An extremely poor family takes their children to work early. The result is extreme poverty as well. It's a vicious circle. Those who go to work early drop out of school early and experience low employability. It is the State that has to enter this cycle, remove this family and provide them with a different future". Brazilian children and adolescents in child labor situations Reproduction/TV Globo Union of efforts and legal alternative The "Red Card" campaign, carried out by the federal government in partnership with the MPT and the International Labor Organization (ILO), seeks to show that the problem is global. Worldwide, 138 million children are in child labor. As the main strategy to face the situation without closing the doors to the development of young people, the Superior Labor Court (TST) highlights professional learning. The model guarantees legal and protected insertion in the job market from the age of 14, guaranteeing all rights and without compromising studies. For the MPT, reporting is the first step towards this change and is everyone's duty. "The role of society, given in the Constitution, is to denounce. If you see a child working, whether at a traffic light or in any illegal situation, your responsibility is to report it. The State's responsibility is to create public policies to welcome the family", reinforces the judge. Cases of child labor can be reported anonymously through the following channels: Dial 100 (free call) Ipê System, from the Ministry of Labor and Employment, through the website ipe.sit.trabalho.gov.br See more news from the region on g1 Ribeirão Preto e Franca VIDEOS: Everything about Ribeirão Preto, Franca and the region