The International Child Labor Program (ICLP) is part of the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB). The Program was created in 1993 in response to a direct request from Congress to investigate and report on child labor around the world.

As domestic and international concern about child labor has grown, the International Child Labor Program's activities have significantly expanded. Today, these activities include continued research on international child labor, supporting U.S. government policy on international child labor issues, administering grants to organizations engaged in efforts to eliminate child labor, and awareness raising about the child labor issue.

Research and Policy

The International Child Labor Program has published annual reports on international child labor since 1994. These reports, mandated by Congress, explore various aspects of international child labor issues and have been widely distributed in the United States and abroad. In 2002, ICLP initiated another set of reports mandated by the Trade and Development Act (TDA), signed into law on May 18, 2000. The TDA establishes a new eligibility criterion concerning efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labor for receipt of trade benefits under the GSP, CBTPA, and AGOA programs, and requires the Secretary of Labor to issue findings on beneficiary country initiatives to implement their international commitments to eliminate the worst forms of child labor.

ICLP has also convened public hearings and symposia to raise public awareness and understanding of international child labor issues. From 1994 through 1998, public hearings were held to gather information on international child labor practices. In 1995, a symposium was held in Washington, D.C. that brought together international experts to discuss the problem of child prostitution. In May 2000, the Department of Labor, in conjunction with IPEC, sponsored "Advancing the Global Campaign Against Child Labor: Progress Made and Future Actions", a conference highlighting innovative approaches to eliminating child labor around the world. In May 2003, United States Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao hosted representatives of the world community as they gathered to participate in a U.S. Department of Labor conference to heighten the global response to the exploitation of child soldiers. You can get more information on the Children in the Crossfire: Prevention and Rehabilitation of Child Soldiers conference from our Web site. ICLP has published periodic proceedings from these public hearings, symposia and conferences, and other papers and publications and on child labor and related issues. [Publications List]

Executive Order No. 13126 "Prohibition of Acquisition of Products Produced by Forced or Indentured Child Labor", signed on June 12, 1999, prohibits federal agencies from buying products that have been made with forced or indentured child labor. The Department of Labor, in consultation and cooperation with the Department of the Treasury and the Department of State, developed a list of products, identified by country of origin, which they believe might have been made with forced or indentured child labor. This list is updated periodically based on new information and according to the Procedural Guidelines for the Maintenance of the List of Products. [List of Products]

ICLP Technical Assistance

The International Child Labor Program administers US Department of Labor grants and contracts to remove children from exploitative work, improve access to basic education for child laborers, and raise awareness about child labor worldwide. ICLP's technical assistance programs fall into three categories— support for the International Program on the Elimination of Child Labor(ILO/IPEC); the Child Labor Education Initiative; and domestic awareness raising.

ICLP and the International Program on the Elimination of Child Labor

• Since fiscal year 1995, the U.S. Department of Labor's International Child Labor Program received appropriations of $330 million for the International Labor Organization's International Program on the Elimination of Child Labor for technical cooperation projects in the area of international child labor. These funds are used to support a wide range of child labor projects and activities in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean. [ILO-IPEC Programs]

Education Initiative (EI)

• In 2001, U.S. Department of Labor's International Child Labor Program launched the Child Labor Education Initiative (EI) to support international efforts to eliminate child labor through programs that will improve access to basic education in international areas with a high rate of abusive and exploitative child labor. Since fiscal year 2001, the appropriations to the Bureau of International Labor Affairs for this program have included $205 million. This funding will be used to strengthen DOL's existing child labor elimination strategies and complement ongoing international and national efforts to reduce child labor by providing resources to get child laborers into school and keep them there. [New Grant Opportunities]

Awareness Raising

• Since 1999, the International Child Labor Program has awarded a limited number of grants to domestic organizations to increase public awareness in the United States about international child labor. These grants support research and publication of factual information about the use of child labor and innovative initiatives to eliminate child labor. The grants also promote public dialogue about best practices in addressing child labor around the world.