International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour
IPEC
Human Rights, Social
Justice and Child Labour
Presentation by: Benjamin Smith
ILO-IPEC
Introduction: Ricarda McFalls, ILO
MNE Programme (Multi@ilo.org)
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International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour
Webinar Structure
Childrens right to be free from child labour as
a human right
ILO Conventions and the implications for
business
Recent evidence, experience, trends
ILO business resources for eliminating child
labour
Working with ILO
What is World Day against Child Labour?
Working with Child Labour Platform
International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour
The latest figures on child labour
215 million children involved in child labour
115 million of these children are in
hazardous work
Types: 66% unpaid family work, 21% paid
employment, 5% self-employment
Sectors: 60% agriculture; 26% services; 7%
in industry; overwhelmingly informal
Estimated 7% - 15% in global supply chains
New global estimates covering 2008-2012
will be available in 2013
International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour
Child labour - a human rights issue
Right to Education established in the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights (1946)
Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work: Based on eight
ILO core Conventions and regarded as human rights which all
ILO Member States are required to respect, promote and
realise:
freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining
the elimination of forced or compulsory labour,
the abolition of child labour, and
the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and
occupation.
The elimination of child labour will be achieved much more
quickly and efficiently when the other rights are also respected.
International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour
Access to basic education
67 million primary aged children are not enrolled in
school
74 million children of lower secondary school age
are not enrolled in school
Many children who are enrolled are not attending on
a regular basis
We need a new commitment to education for all
children to the minimum age of employment
We must tackle the barriers and improve access to
quality education
International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour
Pre-requisites for social justice
There need to be essential social
services for all (e.g education,
health)
Legal Framework in accordance
with ILO Conventions
Social protection strategies which
assist poor families to access
essential services
Decent work for adults so they can
choose school not work for their
children
International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour
ILO Conventions on Child Labour
Minimum Age Convention (No. 138)
a minimum age for employment not less than the age of finishing
compulsory education
In any case not be less than 15 years; for developing countries,14
years
National laws may permit 13-15 year olds in light work which does
not interfere with school attendance, nor harmful to a childs health
or development
Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention (No. 182)
Prohibition of the worst forms of child labour as a matter of
urgency
Slavery or slavery like conditions
Prostitution or pornography
Use of child for illicit activities
Work that harms the health, safety, and morals
International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour
Minimum ages: more than one!
Other worst
forms of child
labour
International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour
Role of Business in the Fight against
Child Labour
A major force for progress by
Providing opportunities for decent work, propelling
economic growth
Adhering to national and intl law
Paying fair share of taxes
Eschewing corruption
But significant risks persist
International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour
Continuing Challenges.
How to tackle child labour in supply chains that involve
the informal economy, small holdings, household
production, piece rate production etc-- and how to
demonstrate progress
How to marry capacity strengthening efforts with
compliance programmes and improve their impact on
rights
How to engage effectively with governments to improve
enforcement, social service provision, and with workers
and employers organizations
How to bring effective community based monitoring
models to scale and sustain them
International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour
Continuing Challenges
Long term remediation means tackling root causes beyond
the lifetime of projects
Private sector voluntary initiatives have had positive impact
on working conditions for workers in global supply chains,
especially on safety and health
However, less evidence of impact on rights-based issues
such as FoA, discrimination, child labour: need for impact
evaluation
Ensuring business practices live up to commitments on
child labour and other worker rights
International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour
Possible responses
Codes of Conduct
Aligned with ILO Conventions?
Do they extend to supply chain? Below first tier where risk is often
greatest?
Labelling/certification initiatives
Rugmark/Goodweave initiative example
Sometimes adapt environmental or organic standards, however no way to
test a final good for labour content
Sufficient rigor to provide a real assurance?
Fairtrade
By paying small producers higher prices, can alleviate poverty, a root
cause of child labour
Wage labourers and their children do not necessarily benefit
How to improve conditions across the board in regular commodities
International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour
Possible responses
Multistakeholder Initiatives
Companies, trade unions, civil
society
Industry wide effort, common
vision
International Cocoa Initiative
ECLT
Child Labour Platform
ILO, UN Global Compact
Cross-sectoral
Engaging with government: the
missing element to achieve scale?
International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour
Possible responses
Changes to business
practices
Centralized production:
soccer ball stitching
Incentives and
disincentives: sugar
cane in Brazil, El
Salvador
Rubber plantations in
Liberia and collective
bargaining
International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour
Child Labour Monitoring Systems
Regular, repeated visits to worksites, schools
To identify child labourers, at-risk children and assess
conditions in all forms of CL
Triggers protection, referral to appropriate services
Follow up to ensure a good outcome and that other
children do not take the place of removed children
Main features
o Linked to government inspection, services at district and
national level
o Community-based
o Alliance of partners
o Companies can play a role but do not replace government
functions
International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour
Recent Evidence: Child labour
elimination in India
Marked improvements in Knitwear, Fireworks, Handicrafts,
Stone quarries, Brick kilns
Domestic and export markets
Government intervention in education, school meals critical, but
also sanctions against employers
Handicrafts: centralization of production for easier monitoring
Higher urban wages, higher aspirations of parents: education as
an elevator
Rather than projects what is needed are multi-stakeholder
programmes to implement existing child labour legislation,
involving communities in design/implementation
International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour
Recent Experience: Tackling child labour
in cocoa growing communities
Partnership with 8 companies in chocolate and cocoa industry
Ghana and Cote dIvoire
Coordination and capacity strengthening around community-based
child labour monitoring
Building exit strategy from outset: national CLMS rolled out in cocoa
communities to carry on after projects end
Integrated, area-based approach to avoid displacement
Partnerships to improve productivity and livelihoods, organization,
OSH
Initial results: national CLM system tools available; OSH manual
developed;1,600 birth records secured
International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour
Recent Experience: Policy development
and mobilization in Malawi
Partnership with ECLT: largest labour conference in
Malawi history
Tripartite plus National Conference adopts Action Plan
against child labour in agriculture Tobacco, sugar, tea and neglected sectors of fishing,
livestock
New commitments from Government, industry, employers
and workers organizations, civil society
At a moment of fundamental market and policy reform,
adding a rights based focus to ensure greater efficiencies
and productivity benefit the most vulnerable in supply
chains: child labourers
International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour
Tools: Step By Step Guide for Employers
8 Key Steps serve as a guiding framework: Each
enterprise challenges unique
International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour
Tools: How to Guidebook
Guidebook on How to do Business with respect
for Childrens Right to be free from Child
Labour
Forthcoming tool that builds upon existing materials
ILO Conventions, UN Framework on Business and
Human Rights, Guiding Principles
Focus on supply chain due diligence, knowing and
showing
Evidence based, practical advice on management
systems
Involving IOE and company assessments
International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour
Positive trends in the business
response to child labour (1)
Increased engagement with government
Increased use of integrated, areas based approaches
Increased linkage between support for improved
productivity in supply chains and respect for labour
rights
Use of field technicians to raise awareness and train on
OSH, support community-based child labour monitoring
Conversion of child labour to youth employment among
15-17s through protection, OSH
International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour
Positive trends in the business
response to child labour (2)
Increased public commitments to sustainable
production
Increased acceptance that causing, contributing to
child labour, or being linked to it through business
relationships, is antithetical to sustainable
production: changing business culture
Some consumer demandbut enough to pay for all
of the progress needed? Other drivers needed
How You can help: World Day against Child
Labour - June 12
Since 2000 on June 12
Annual centerpiece of awareness
raising and social mobilization
campaign
Year round: 12 to 12 campaign,
focus of research
Activities around the globe
Employers play an important role
International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour
How you can help: World Day against Child
Labour
Mark the World Day against Child Labour at headquarters and other
offices and retail outlets. Include photo exhibitions of child labour
scenes, and distribution of World Day materials (posters etc.) Materials
are available at www.ilo.org/ChildLabourWorldDay
Organize of a forum to discuss child labour, especially the role of
business in addressing the problem. ILO can provide examples of
successful initiatives and help design for you.
Highlight World Day against Child Labour on business websites, linking
to the World Day website.
Include articles on World Day in corporate newsletters or magazines.
Encourage offices and business partners in other countries to contact
local ILO-IPEC offices, which coordinate World Day activities with
employers and workers organizations and governments in close to 80
countries
International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour
How you can help: Child Labour Platform
Initiative of UN Global Compact Labour Working Group,
IPEC, and Leading Companies in the fight against Child
Labour
Initiative aims to:
Foster exchange among companies, governments,
workers organizations and civil society:what works,
what does not
Identify obstacles and ways to overcome them
Catalyse collective approaches
Build the global knowledge base on child labour in
supply chains
www.ilo.org
International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour
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For more information
ILO International Programme on the
Elimination of Child Labour www.ilo.org/ipec
Benjamin Smith: smithb@ilo.org
ILO Helpdesk for Business on international
labour standards www.ilo.org/business
The UN Global Compact Labour Principles,
A Guide for Business
Githa Roelans: roelans@ilo.org
International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour
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