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Also Important

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Important.

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Child labor in Mexico
This is so sad and hard to imagine that still in this century 2021 there's still child labour slavery kids instead of learning and having a education for their future they are being mistreated and slaves. Kids supposed to learn to become better for the future doctors teachers lawyers judge president without an education we can't go to far in life
Bryan Alfaro

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Where Children Must Work - Tropic Of Cancer - Episode 5 Preview - BBC

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Child labour: Unicef look at life in one of the world's most dangerous mines

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Bolivia: Stepping up the fight against child labour

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An estimated 20 percent of Bolivian children, hundreds of thousands of under 17-year-olds, work in agriculture, mining, in markets and on the streets.

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Which Countries are the WORST for Child Labour?

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Which Countries are the WORST for Child Labour?

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Where, why and what can be done

Around 260 million children are in employment around the world, according to the International Labour Organisation (pdf). Of them, the ILO estimates that 170 million are engaged in child labour, defined by the UN as "work for which the child is either too young - work done below the required minimum age - or work which, because of its detrimental nature or conditions, is altogether considered unacceptable for children and is prohibited".

Child labour is forbidden by law in most countries but continues to be rife in some of the poorest parts of the world.

The ILO estimates that 170 million are engaged in child labour, with many making textiles and garments to satisfy the demand of consumers in Europe, the US, and beyond

The situation is improving. ILO estimates suggest child labour declined by 30% between 2000 and 2012, but still 11% of the world's children are in situations that deprive them of their right to go to school without interference from work.

Many of these child labourers work within the fashion supply chain, making the textiles and garments to satisfy the demand of consumers in Europe, the US, and beyond.

Why does it exist?

Where is it happening?

The countries highlighted above were identified by SOMO as particularly notorious for child labour in the textile and garment industry

Children work at all stages of the supply chain in the fashion industry: from the production of cotton seeds in Benin, harvesting in Uzbekistan, yarn spinning in India, right through to the different phases of putting garments together in factories across Bangladesh.

In the cotton industry, children are employed to transfer pollen from one plant to another. They are subjected to long working hours, exposure to pesticides and they are often paid below the minimum wage. In developing countries where cotton is one of the main crops, children are enlisted to help harvest the delicate crop and reports suggest (pdf) they work long hours sowing cotton in the spring, followed by weeding through the summer months.

An estimated 170 million children are engaged in child labour, or 11% of the global population of children, according to the International Labour Organisation

At the next step of the chain, in the yarn and spinning mills, child labour is rampant. The SOMO report (pdf) found that 60% of workers at the mills it investigated in India were under-18 when they started working there; the youngest workers were 15 when they joined.

Children also work in the "cut-make-trim" stage, when clothes are put together. SOMO says: "In garment factories, children perform diverse and often arduous tasks such as dyeing, sewing buttons, cutting and trimming threads, folding, moving and packing garments. In small workshops and home sites, children are put to work on intricate tasks such as embroidering, sequinning and smocking (making pleats)."

What are the challenges?

One of the biggest challenges in tackling child labour in the fashion supply chain is the complex supply chain for each garment. Even when brands have strict guidelines in place for suppliers, work often gets sub-contracted to other factories that the buyer may not even know about.

Ovaa says: "Companies that sell their products in Europe and the US have no clue where the textiles come from. Maybe they know their first supplier and there are codes of conduct in place, but further down the chain in the lower tiers it is very difficult to understand where the cotton comes from."

Tackling child labour is further complicated by the fact it is just a symptom of larger problems. Where there is extreme poverty, there will be children willing to work cheaply and susceptible to being tricked into dangerous or badly paid work.

Lotte Schuurman at the Fair Wear Foundation says if parents have no education they will end up in low-paid work; their children will be forced to work, they will miss out on their education, and they too will end up in low-paid work as adults. "You need to get out of that vicious circle of poverty to decline child labour," she says.

What can businesses do?

Credits:

Writer Josephine Moulds
Commissioning editor Jenny Purt
Art direction and design Tim Shearring and Ian Richardson
Video and map photography Kimberly Hoang
Map embroidery Jessica Thompson
Images Getty Images, Panos, Gallery Stock
Producer Daniel Turner

About this site

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Child labour in the fashion supply chain

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We are lucky to live in a country where children are afforded their human right to an education - in fact it is a legal requirement for Australian kids to attend school. We have a legal minimum working age, strict work and safety requirements and the right to be paid a minimum wage.

Unfortunately not all children are so lucky. There are still 168 million children involved in child labour in a range of industries - from agriculture to manufacturing, services to construction, and textiles to fashion.

So why is this still happening?
Supply chains.
In industries, such as fashion, the demand for products is huge and there is an overwhelming emphasis on quick supply. This growing culture of fast fashion and consumerism is pushing companies to find ever-cheaper sources of labour in an effort to keep costs down and profits up.

The reality is that children make good sources of cheap labour because they slip under the radar. They are seen as low-skilled workers without a voice, and so they are easy targets. Employers of children get away with it because supply chains have become incredibly complex and it is hard for companies to control every stage of production. Even if big brands appear to condemn acts of exploitation on the surface, it is hard for them and their consumers to know what is happening further down the line.

That is why the focus of the ILO's 2016 World Day against Child Labour is on supply chains. Its aim is to encourage enterprises to be vigilant in ensuring that their supply chains are free from child labour, and to encourage consumers to hold companies accountable for their actions.

What can we do to help?

The power we have as consumers is greater than you might think. No company will continue a practice or product that you the consumer will not buy. If we can demand greater transparency in supply chains and encourage companies to know exactly who is making their products we can help put an end to child labour.

One way you can do this is by supporting VGen's #EndChildLabour campaign which is encouraging young Australians to ask ... what are we buying into? When we purchase a cup of coffee from our favourite cafe, or a new t-shirt from that brand we really like, our money is potentially supporting the systems that fuel child labour. By purchasing more ethical products and making informed decisions about which products you buy you can change this.

There are heaps of resources out there to help you make more ethical decisions. Check these out:

Why not tell others about the issue and about how they can be part of the solution by using the hashtag #EndChildLabour.

- Written by Courtney, NSW Communications Officer

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Child labour in supply chains is everyone's business | World Vision Australia

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We are lucky to live in a country where children are afforded their human right to an education - in fact it is a legal requirement for Australian kids to attend school. We have a legal minimum working age, strict work and safety requirements and the right to be paid a minimum wage.

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The Music Against Child Labour Initiative (MACLI), launched in 2013 by the ILO and some of the world's greatest musicians, calls on musicians worldwide to dedicate a concert or song to the struggle against child labour.

Music education can empower children, build their skills and, crucially, encourage them to go to school and stay in school. The Initiative's partners are asking everyone in the world of music to join us in raising awareness about child labour and about the value of music and arts education in combating it.

Whatever your age or level, whether you are in a band, ensemble, group, orchestra or choir - or play as a soloist, your music can help raise awareness and inspire action. Contributions from musicians of every genre are equally valued - soul or son, highlife or hip-hop, folk, jazz, rock or tango, classical music of every tradition and every type of music besides. And if you don't compose, play or sing, you can take part by mobilising musicians in your country, including through their trade unions, or by encouraging music events in your community to link to the campaign.

With your music, you can strike a powerful chord against child labour and for social justice! Join the Initiative by dedicating a concert and/or dedicating a song to the campaign.

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The Music Against Child Labour Initiative (MACLI), launched in 2013 by the ILO and some of the world's greatest musicians, calls on musicians worldwide to dedicate a concert or song to the struggle against child labour. Music education can empower children, build their skills and, crucially, encourage them to go to school and stay in school.

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Child Labour: International Labour Organization

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Child Labour: International Labour Organization

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12 June marks the World Day Against Child Labour under the theme "Universal Social Protection to End Child Labour." On this day, the ILO, together with its constituents and partners, is calling for increased investment in social protection systems and schemes to establish solid social protection floors and protect children from child labour.

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Teenagers Picking Tobacco Are At Risk of Nicotine Poisoning. May 2014

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Teenagers Picking Tobacco Are At Risk of Nicotine Poisoning. May 2014

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Young workers who aren’t old enough to buy a pack of cigarettes are allowed to harvest tobacco in the United States. Human Rights Watch says while it’s legal to have kids as young as 12 pick tobacco, it’s not legal to put children’s health at risk of nicotine poisoning. Human Rights Watch is calling on the major tobacco companies to stop putting kids to work in tobacco fields. Listen to this public radio story with your students and discuss.

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Students: Use codes to join classes, and then complete assignments.

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“Young Migrant Workers Toil in U.S. Fields.” by Karen Fanning. Scholastic.com

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“Young Migrant Workers Toil in U.S. Fields.” by Karen Fanning. Scholastic.com

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This article details the lives of child laborers in the U.S., their lost education, and a hope
for a better life.

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“10 Child Labor Facts.” By Matt Berg. BorgenProject.com. October 4, 2013

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“10 Child Labor Facts.” By Matt Berg. BorgenProject.com. October 4, 2013

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This web page offers significant facts and statistics around child labor throughout the
world.

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Child labor, as defined by the International Labor Organization (ILO), is "work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential, and their dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental development." The persistence of child labor is one of the biggest obstacles to human rights globally. Child Labor perpetuates poverty by depriving children of education and leaving them without the skills needed to secure the future of themselves and their communities. This article sheds light on key child labor facts and the countries where child labor prevails.

Top 10 Child Labor Facts

1. Much of Indonesia's tobacco is produced by thousands of children as young as eight. Tobacco cultivation is extremely labor intensive and children are often subjected to serious health risks including nicotine poisoning.

2. According to the ILO, 168 million children worldwide are engaged in child labor as of 2013.

3. Of these 168 million children, 85 million are engaged in what the ILO deems "hazardous work."

4. According to a study conducted by the ILO in 2004, the benefits of eradicating child labor would "outweigh costs by nearly six to one."

5. The sub-Saharan African region has the second highest number of child laborers in the world; about 59 million in 2012. According to the Pew Research Center, 21.4 percent of children aged five to 17 are involved in child labor while 10.4 percent are engaged in hazardous work.

6. Agriculture accounts for 60 percent of child labor according to the ILO.

7. Only one out of five children involved in child labor is paid for their work.

8. The majority of children in child labor perform unpaid family work.

9. The 10 countries that strategic consulting firm Maplecroft listed as the worst countries for child labor in 2012 were: Pakistan, Afghanistan, North Korea, Myanmar, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Ethiopia, Burundi and Zimbabwe.

10. About 60 percent of children in Ethiopia are engaged in some form of child labor. Many of these children work in the mining industry; an industry that poses some of the biggest dangers for child laborers.

Many parents in impoverished countries push their children into work out of necessity, unable to sustain their families on their own incomes.

One of the best ways to combat child labor is to provide fair wages and safe working conditions for parents so that they can provide for their families without being forced to depend on their children. To fight against child labor is the fight against global poverty.

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10 Shocking Child Labor Facts - The Borgen Project

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Here are 10 child labor facts about the perpetuating cycle of poverty that results from depriving children of an education. These shocking facts about child labor demonstrate the detrimental effects of the practice on the countries which it plagues.

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“Iqbal and Craig: Two Children Against Child Labour.” 

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“Iqbal and Craig: Two Children Against Child Labour.” 

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This text explores how Craig Kielburger was inspired into activism by the young Iqbal
Masih’s story

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“Young Activist’s Death Hits Pakistani Carpet Sales: Trade: Exports to West HaveDiminished Even Though Producers Haven’t Been Linked to Death of 12-Year-OldWho Fought Child Labor.” by Kathy Gannon. LA Times. May 31, 1995

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“Young Activist’s Death Hits Pakistani Carpet Sales: Trade: Exports to West HaveDiminished Even Though Producers Haven’t Been Linked to Death of 12-Year-OldWho Fought Child Labor.” by Kathy Gannon. LA Times. May 31, 1995

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This text explores the sinking Western carpet industry’s link to the death of the young
child labor activist Iqbal Masih.

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Already hit with sagging exports, Pakistani carpet dealers say they have lost more sales to Western buyers since the killing of a young activist who spoke out against child labor.

The death of Iqbal Masih, 12, received worldwide publicity after a group that is fighting child labor blamed carpet industry owners. But residents of his village later said Iqbal was slain in a fight with a farm worker, and Pakistan's leading human rights group says there is no evidence implicating the industry.

Iqbal's case attracted attention because he had been to Sweden and the United States to speak at conferences denouncing child labor. He had worked as a carpet weaver from age 4 to 10.

Imran Malik, vice chairman of the Pakistan Carpet and Manufacturers and Exporters Association, estimates $10 million worth of orders have been lost since the April 16 shooting.

"Carpets that were once considered a piece of art are now looked upon as if the blood of children has been used to make them," Malik said.

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The carpet industry, one of the biggest exporters in this impoverished country, was facing lean times even before Iqbal's death. Exports fell from $183 million in 1992 to $149 million last year, the government says.

The United States, the largest importer of Pakistani carpets, purchased $42 million worth last year, down from $55 million two years earlier.

"With this controversy, our wholesale carpet buyers don't want to take the risk and buy Pakistani carpets," said Abdul Latif Malik, a leading Lahore carpet dealer who says he has lost at least $300,000 in sales since Iqbal's death. He is no relation to the vice chairman of the carpet association.

Usman Ashraf of Usman Carpet House in Lahore said he has lost $80,000 in sales since mid-April. "It is all related to the young boy's death," he said.

Both dealers said Western buyers had contacted them to say they would not be making further purchases due to the furor over the killing.

But in New York, carpet dealers contacted by the Associated Press said they had seen no backlash against Pakistani carpets since Iqbal's death, although one said reports of child labor overseas had sparked questions from a few customers.

"There isn't a major scare that I'm aware of, but all carpets have not been selling as well because of the downturn in the economy," said Michael Harounian, a partner in the New York-based Harounian Imports.

Harounian and Larry Feldman, president of the Rug Warehouse in New York, both said they try to ensure they do no business with carpet makers who use child labor.

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Anti-Slavery International, a British-based group that campaigns against forced labor, estimates carpet makers employ about 500,000 children under 14 years old in Pakistan, 300,000 in India and 110,000 in Nepal.

Children are prized by carpet makers because their tiny fingers make small, tight knots, the sign of a truly fine carpet.

Hand-knotted carpets also are made in Iran, China, Afghanistan, Morocco, Turkey, Peru and some former Soviet states.

"Apart from the former Soviet Union, where we have no information, we have information to suggest that child labor is used to some extent in all these countries," said David Ould, spokesman for Anti-Slavery International.

It was the campaign against child labor that drew attention to Iqbal's killing.

The Bonded Labor Liberation Front, a private group in Pakistan, blamed the slaying on Pakistan's "carpet mafia," although it provided no evidence.

An AP reporter who visited Iqbal's village outside Lahore was told by numerous residents that the youth was shot by a farm worker after a petty dispute. Iqbal's cousin, who was wounded in the shooting, told the same story to police, who have arrested the farm worker.

The independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, the country's most respected human rights group, said it found no evidence tying the carpet industry to Iqbal's death.

In dirt-poor villages where there are not enough schools, children are routinely sent out to find work in mills, brickyards and garages before they reach their 10th birthday.

The conditions are often filthy and dangerous and the daily pay can be as little as one rupee--the equivalent of three cents. But in such an impoverished region, many people accept child labor as normal, including the children.

"Children themselves say, 'We're earning a living.' The family says they need the money," said Shireen Khan, a spokeswoman in Islamabad for the International Labor Organization, a United Nations group.

Pakistan passed legislation in 1992 that says children under 14 are not allowed to work, but the law is not enforced.

If Pakistan does not show some progress, it could lose preferential tariffs on its carpet imports into the United States, Commerce Minister Ahmed Mukhtar said.

"It's like a sword dangling over our head," he said.

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Young Activist's Death Hits Pakistani Carpet Sales : Trade: Exports to West have diminished even though producers haven't been linked to death of 12-year-old who fought child labor.

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Already hit with sagging exports, Pakistani carpet dealers say they have lost more sales to Western buyers since the killing of a young activist who spoke out against child labor.

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“Freedom Hero: Iqbal Masih.” Executive Producer, Anson Schloat. YouTube, 27 Nov.2008

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“Freedom Hero: Iqbal Masih.” Executive Producer, Anson Schloat. YouTube, 27 Nov.2008

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This video shares Iqbal’s story and provides insight into the working conditions of child
labor and slavery. Iqbal was a child laborer in Pakistan whose courage inspired others
around the world

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“Child Labor Around the World: How to Help.” By Karen Fanning. Teacher. Scholastic.com.

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“Child Labor Around the World: How to Help.” By Karen Fanning. Teacher. Scholastic.com.

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This text is about a middle school class in Massachusetts that heard firsthand about Iqbal’s plight for child labor laws and took action.

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With Magazines+, you get fresh, high-interest content delivered all year long-in print, online or both. Every single story, video and activity is designed to hook your students and keep them engaged. And because Magazines+ complements your curriculum, it's easy to implement during any part of the school day!

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Scholastic Classroom & News Magazines | Subscribe Now!

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With Magazines+, you get fresh, high-interest content delivered all year long-in print, online or both. Every single story, video and activity is designed to hook your students and keep them engaged. And because Magazines+ complements your curriculum, it's easy to implement during any part of the school day!

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Iqbal Masih and Craig Kielburger, Child Labor, Teen Activist

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Iqbal Masih and Craig Kielburger, Child Labor, Teen Activist

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This site is about kid activists inspiring each other to take action around child labor exploitation.

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About WE Charity - WE Charity Foundation (WCF)

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For 25 years, WE Charity empowered change and worked in five key areas - education, water, health, food and opportunity - to create transformative and lasting impact.