Child Labor and Forced Labor Reports
Belize
Moderate Advancement
In 2022, Belize made moderate advancement in efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labor. The government approved the National Child Labor Policy and Strategy 2022–2025, which aims to eliminate the worst forms of child labor by 2025 and prioritizes addressing legislative and information gaps, increasing child labor law compliance, and reducing barriers to education. The Ministry of Human Development also introduced new standard operating procedures on human trafficking and trained 85 percent of social workers, 80 percent of labor officers, and 78 percent of immigration officers on using the procedures to refer victims to care. However, children in Belize are subjected to the worst forms of child labor, including in commercial sexual exploitation, sometimes as a result of human trafficking. Children also engage in dangerous tasks in agriculture and construction. Belize does not meet the international standard for prohibitions of hazardous work because children over age 14 are permitted to work in dangerous activities like mining and construction. In addition, Belize has not adequately prohibited the use of children in illicit activities, including the production and trafficking of drugs.
Table 1 provides key indicators on children’s work and education in Belize.
| Children | Age | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| Working (% and population) | 5 to 14 | 1.6 (1,405) |
| Working children by sector | 5 to 14 | |
| Agriculture | 24.6 | |
| Industry | 10.5 | |
| Services | 64.9 | |
| Attending School (%) | 5 to 14 | 94.5 |
| Combining Work and School (%) | 7 to 14 | 1.2 |
| Primary Completion Rate (%) | 106.7 |
Source for primary completion rate: Data from 2021, published by UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2023. (1)
Source for all other data: International Labor Organization's analysis of statistics from National Child Activity Survey (SIMPOC), 2013. (2)
Based on a review of available information, Table 2 provides an overview of children's work by sector and activity.
| Sector/Industry | Activity |
|---|---|
| Agriculture | Farming, including sowing, weeding, harvesting, and clearing for beans, bananas, citrus fruits, cereals, corn, rice, sugarcane, papayas, onions, and vegetables; fumigating with herbicides and insecticides; and operating machinery, including tractors and vehicles (3-5) |
| Butchering and raising livestock, including poultry and cattle (5,6) | |
| Fishing, including for fish, lobster, and conch (3,5) | |
| Industry | Construction, including carrying heavy loads, carpentry, masonry, wood carving, work in sawmills, and using power tools (3,5,7) |
| Quarrying, including operating machinery (8) | |
| Building and repairing fishing vessels (3) | |
| Services | Street, wholesale, and retail vending (3,7) |
| Yard work, including using lawnmowers, weed-eaters, and machetes (5,6) | |
| Domestic work, including cleaning (3) | |
| Food service, including cooking, using large mixers, and grilling (3,5,9) | |
| Working in the tourist sector, including in food and alcohol service and hospitality, and as tour guides, maintenance personnel, and security guards (8,9) | |
| Working in auto repair, including as workshop mechanics and repairing tires (3,5,6) | |
| Welding (3,6) | |
| Transportation, including work as bus attendants, collecting fares, carrying heavy loads, and pumping gas (3,5,6) | |
| Categorical Worst Forms of Child Labor‡ | Commercial sexual exploitation, sometimes as a result of human trafficking (8,10,11) |
| Forced labor in food service (9) | |
| Use in illicit activities, including trafficking of drugs and weapons (3,9,12) |
‡ Child labor understood as the worst forms of child labor per se under Article 3(a)–(c) of ILO C. 182.
Government officials state that there are anecdotal reports of Belize being a destination for child sexual exploitation, with reports of children being trafficked in areas frequented by tourists, such as Belize City and San Pedro. (8,13) Law enforcement reported that the commercial sexual exploitation of children involving female minors does occur in bars, informal brothels, unregistered hotels, and guest houses. (3) Migrant children are trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation, with most typically originating from Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. (3,7) Sources also report the prevalence of "sugar daddy" arrangements, in which a wealthy male offers to pay school fees, provide cash payments, or purchase groceries or gifts for a family in exchange for sexual favors from a young, usually female, family member. (11) A limited number of sources also indicate that male child trafficking victims from Belize City were forced to transport and distribute drugs and ammunition and commit murders as part of gang warfare. (3,7,12) The contraband trade, in which children work as smugglers, vendors, and informants, has increased since the COVID‐19 pandemic restrictions were lifted due to a reduced number of enforcement officers manning border entry points. (3) Furthermore, some families remove their children from school on their fifteenth birthday so they can work in the service industry or smuggle contraband near the Mexican and Guatemalan borders, where smuggling is known to be a high-profit enterprise. (3,7)
Belize lacks a recent comprehensive child labor study, which makes it difficult to clearly determine the sectors and activities in which working children are engaged. (5,8) Children below the age of 12 informally work in the agriculture, fishing, wholesale and retail, service, and tourism industries. In urban areas, children as young as 10 years old work with their families or independently as street vendors. (3) Mennonite children, undocumented migrant children, and children from Belizean families who perform seasonal jobs often perform hazardous tasks on Mennonite land, including operating machinery and fumigating with chemicals. (3,9) In the fishing industry, young boys from coastal communities dive for aquatic species and to free snagged nets. (3) Some of these children cannot swim or may be involved in swimming at extreme depths. (8) Boys in construction industries are exposed to heavy equipment and tools, work with electricity without any formal training or supervision, carry heavy loads, and work at dangerous heights without harnesses. Children working as store clerks in the Corozal Commercial Free Zone at the border with Mexico carry heavy loads to unload containers and have extended work hours during peak season. (3)
In Belize, primary and secondary education is tuition free up to age 14, and in-person learning at all education levels resumed in August of 2022. In areas lacking a school, the state provides free transportation for children to attend the nearest primary school. (3,7) Truancy officers reported that in some schools in northern Belize, up to half of primary school students are absent from school to pick beans and other crops during the harvest season. (3,14) Belize lacks an adequate number of qualified teachers, basic supplies, and adequate facilities, and many children's access to education is hindered by the cost of school fees, textbooks, uniforms, and meals. (3,7,8,14)
Belize has ratified all key international conventions concerning child labor (Table 3).
| Convention | Ratification |
|---|---|
| ILO C. 138, Minimum Age | ✓ |
| ILO C. 182, Worst Forms of Child Labor | ✓ |
| UN CRC | ✓ |
| UN CRC Optional Protocol on Armed Conflict | ✓ |
| UN CRC Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography | ✓ |
| Palermo Protocol on Trafficking in Persons | ✓ |
The government has established laws and regulations related to child labor (Table 4). However, gaps exist in Belize's legal framework to adequately protect children from the worst forms of child labor, including a lack of prohibitions related to the use of children in the production and trafficking of drugs.
| Standard | Meets International Standards | Age | Legislation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Age for Work | Yes | 14 | Articles 54, 164, 169, and 172 of the Labor Act; Articles 2 and 3 of the Shops Act (15,16) |
| Minimum Age for Hazardous Work | No | 14 | Articles 2 and 7 of the Families and Children Act; Articles 54 and 169 of the Labor Act (15,17) |
| Identification of Hazardous Occupations or Activities Prohibited for Children | No | ||
| Prohibition of Forced Labor | Yes | Article 8 of the Constitution; Articles 157 and 158 of the Labor Act; Articles 2 and 11 of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Act (15,18,19) | |
| Prohibition of Child Trafficking | Yes | Articles 11–14 of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Act; Article 9 of the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (Prohibition) Act; Articles 49–51 of the Criminal Code (19-21) | |
| Prohibition of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children | No | Articles 2, 11, 13, and 14 of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Act; Articles 2–9 of the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (Prohibition) Act; Articles 49–51 of the Criminal Code (19-21) | |
| Prohibition of Using Children in Illicit Activities | No | ||
| Minimum Age for Voluntary State Military Recruitment | Yes | 18 | Article 16 of the Defense Act (22) |
| Prohibition of Compulsory Recruitment of Children by (State) Military | N/A* | ||
| Prohibition of Military Recruitment by Non-state Armed Groups | No | ||
| Compulsory Education Age | Yes | 14 | Articles 2 and 59 of the Education and Training Act; Articles 2 and 34 of the Education Act (23,24) |
| Free Public Education | Yes | Article 70 of the Education and Training Act; Article 45 of the Education Act (23,24) |
* Country has no conscription (22)
The government is reviewing the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Act and the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (Prohibition) Act to consider merging them into one piece of legislation and held consultations with stakeholders in 2022. (11) In July, the government also announced that it will increase the compulsory education age from 14 years to 16 years by 2025. (3,25)
While Belizean law sets the minimum legal age for work in wholesale and retail trade or business at age 14, the law is inconsistent with international standards on light work because the types of light work permissible for children ages 12 to 14 have not yet been identified. (15,16) Belizean law is also inconsistent with international standards on hazardous work as children over age 14 may work in industrial undertakings—including activities such as mining, manufacturing, and construction. (15) In addition, although Belizean law indicates that children under age 18 are prohibited from being employed or engaged in any activity that may be detrimental to their health, education, or mental, physical, or moral development, the law does not specify which employment activities are detrimental to children. (15,17) A list of hazardous work prohibited for all children has not been adopted as law. (26) The Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (Prohibition) Act and the Criminal Code prohibit all forms of child sexual exploitation, with the former explicitly prohibiting child pornography. (20,21) However, consensual sex with children ages 16 or 17 is permitted, including in cases in which a person gives or promises remuneration, goods, food, or other benefits in exchange for the sexual act. This provision leaves children vulnerable to the worst forms of child labor, including child sex trafficking. (3,20) Belizean law does not contain a prohibition on the use of children is specific illicit activities, including the production and trafficking of drugs. (21,27)
The government has established institutional mechanisms for the enforcement of laws and regulations on child labor (Table 5). However, gaps exist within the operations of enforcement agencies that may hinder adequate enforcement of their child labor laws.
| Organization/Agency | Role & Activities |
|---|---|
| Ministry of Rural Transformation, Community Development, Labor, and Local Government | Enforces child labor laws through its Department of Labor. (3,7,9) Coordinates with other agencies on child labor reporting, monitoring, and enforcement activities. (25) In 2022, the Department of Labor conducted child labor awareness trainings for various stakeholders across the country on the new National Child Labor Policy and Strategy 2022–2025, including stakeholders in the agriculture sector. (3,28) The department also provided educational sessions on child labor to approximately 1,000 high school students in the northern districts, the epicenter of sugarcane cultivation, and a similar session was provided to employers and employees in the service and agriculture sectors. (3) |
| Department of Human Services, Ministry of Human Development, Families, and Indigenous People's Affairs | Enforces criminal laws regarding forced child labor, child trafficking, commercial sexual exploitation, the recruitment and use of child soldiers, and use of children in illicit activities. (3,7) Has a case management system, FAMCare, which is used in all cases. (11,25) In 2022, partnering with the Human Trafficking Institute, the Ministry of Human Development introduced new standard operating procedures, the Trafficking in Persons Identification Guidelines and Referral Standard Operating Procedures for Frontline Officials in Belize. During the reporting period, trained 85 percent of social workers, 80 percent of labor officers, and 78 percent of immigration officers on using the procedures to refer victims to care. (11) |
| Belize Police Department (BPD) | Investigates cases of child labor, commercial sexual exploitation, and human trafficking through Sexual Offense and Family Violence Units. (7-9) Through its Anti-Trafficking in Persons (A-TIP) Unit, uses specialized screening to identify potential survivors of trafficking and forced labor. The A-TIP Unit also works closely with its counterparts in the A-TIP Council, which is the interagency governmental council overseeing cases involving human trafficking and forced labor. (3,7) Works with the Department of Labor to carry out investigations into child labor, compiles evidence, and submits cases to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution for prosecution. (3) |
Labor Law Enforcement
In 2022, labor law enforcement agencies in Belize took actions to address child labor (Table 6). However, gaps exist within the operations of enforcement agencies that may hinder adequate labor law enforcement, including insufficient funding for the labor inspectorate.
| Overview of Labor Law Enforcement | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Labor Inspectorate Funding | Unknown (7) | Unknown (3) |
| Number of Labor Inspectors | 24 (7) | 24 (3) |
| Mechanism to Assess Civil Penalties | Yes (15) | Yes (15) |
| Training for Labor Inspectors Provided | Yes (7) | Yes (3) |
| Number of Labor Inspections Conducted at Worksite | 584 (7) | 831 (3) |
| Number of Child Labor Violations Found | 0 (7) | 0 (3) |
| Number of Child Labor Violations for Which Penalties Were Imposed | 0 (7) | 0 (3) |
| Number of Child Labor Penalties Imposed that Were Collected | 0 (7) | 0 (3) |
| Routine Inspections Conducted | Yes (7) | Yes (3) |
| Routine Inspections Targeted | Yes (7) | Yes (3) |
| Unannounced Inspections Permitted | Yes (15) | Yes (15) |
| Unannounced Inspections Conducted | Yes (7) | Yes (3) |
| Complaint Mechanism Exists | Yes (7) | Yes (3) |
| Reciprocal Referral Mechanism Exists Between Labor Authorities and Social Services | Yes (7) | Yes (3) |
In 2022, with the lifting of COVID‐19 restrictions in April, labor officers were able to freely travel in both urban and remote areas to conduct inspections. The labor inspectorate conducted country‐wide inspections in industries most at risk for child labor, except in mining, quarrying, and household activities. (3) There were 57 child labor inspections conducted at suspected worksites in the tourism, agriculture, street vending, retail, and construction sectors, and inspections were carried out in English, Spanish, and Kriol. The Department of Labor is required to visit every business at least once a year, but it usually falls short of this goal due to a lack of resources. (3)
Although the government does not publish information regarding labor inspectorate funding and reports that resources are sufficient to carry out inspections, sources indicate that funding for the labor inspectorate is insufficient to conduct accurate inspections throughout the country and to address child labor. (3) The training budget for 2022 was approximately $43,650. Reporting indicates that not all offices possess the necessary transportation and personnel to operate effectively, affecting the quantity and quality of inspections, especially in rural areas. (3,7) Reports also indicate that it is difficult to follow up on the status of complaints made about suspected child labor cases. (3,9,29)
The labor inspectorate is authorized to issue warnings or citations for labor law violations, but the court must assess penalties for those citations, which may range from a fine to a prison sentence. The legal penalty for employing a child is only a fine of $12.50 or imprisonment of 2 months. (3) Liquor licensing boards, which also have a responsibility to detect and report cases of child labor, routinely fail to conduct required inspections of restaurants and bars. (11,29,30) Thus, inspections and penalties may be insufficient to deter child labor violations including child trafficking. Belize has a system for referring children found during inspections to appropriate social services. (3,25)
Criminal Law Enforcement
In 2022, criminal law enforcement agencies in Belize took actions to address child labor (Table 7). However, gaps exist within the operations of enforcement agencies that may hinder adequate criminal law enforcement, including insufficient allocation of human resources.
| Overview of Criminal Law Enforcement | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Training for Criminal Investigators Provided | No (7) | Yes (3) |
| Number of Investigations | Unknown (7) | 3 (3) |
| Number of Prosecutions Initiated | 0 (7) | 0 (3) |
| Number of Convictions | 2 (31) | 0 (3) |
| Imposed Penalties for Violations Related to the Worst Forms of Child Labor | No (7) | No (3) |
| Reciprocal Referral Mechanism Exists Between Criminal Authorities and Social Services | Yes (7) | Yes (3) |
In March, the Belize Police Department and Immigration Department identified 20 minors on board a bus bound for an orange orchard in the Stann Creek district as potential victims of child labor. Upon further investigation, two of the minors were confirmed to be accompanying their parents and not victims of exploitation. (3) The Anti-Trafficking in Persons (A‐TIP) Unit and the Department of Human Services (DHS) carried out subsequent investigations concerning the remaining 18 minors and discovered they were unaccompanied minors, some traveling without necessary documentation, who intended to work in agriculture. (3) Additionally, during the reporting period, the A‐TIP Unit removed four female children from situations of suspected trafficking. The four children were provided protection and care by the DHS. (3) The Government of Belize also investigated two cases involving both sex and forced labor of children during the reporting period. (3,11) The two cases involved two girls as victims, one Belizean and one Guatemalan national, and the investigations are ongoing. Three cases involving sex trafficking of children brought into Belize, two from Guatemala, and one from Honduras, are also ongoing. (3) Furthermore, reporting indicates that there are bureaucratic inefficiencies with the justice system and a lack of personnel, including judges. (11) According to the A-TIP Council, no cases of child sex tourism were registered, but officers continued to do screening for this crime at the airport. Moreover, Belizean authorities conducted multiple raids and unannounced inspections at worksites suspected of child labor violations, as part of a multinational police operation. (11,14)
In 2022, 540 police officers received training about trafficking in persons and child labor laws. Investigators continue to report they have sufficient office facilities but lack adequate transportation and fuel to carry out investigations. (3) There are anecdotal but consistent reports of low-level officials tolerating and participating in human trafficking-related offenses. (11,13,14,32,33)
The government has established a key mechanism to coordinate its efforts to address child labor (Table 8).
| Coordinating Body | Role & Activities |
|---|---|
| National Child Labor Committee | Coordinates efforts among ministries to prevent and eliminate child labor and implement the National Child Labor Policy. Led by the Ministry of Rural Transformation, Community Development, Labor, and Local Government and 14 government and civil society members. (3,33) Held five meetings in 2022 to review and approve the third draft of the National Child Labor Policy and Strategy 2022–2025. Includes the Child Labor Secretariat and Inspectorate, which identifies, coordinates, and reports on all child labor activities. (3) In 2022, Child Labor Secretariat and Inspectorate held several working sessions, including signing an MOU with sugarcane industry stakeholders for the elimination of child labor by 2025, and a meeting for stakeholders in the sugar, banana, and citrus industries about child labor. (3) |
The government has established policies related to child labor (Table 9). However, policy gaps exist that hinder efforts to address child labor, including a lack of legal implementation of a new national child labor policy.
| Policy | Description & Activities |
|---|---|
| National Child Labor Policy and Strategy (2022–2025)† | Harmonizes and standardizes the definition of a child across all laws and establishes interagency coordination and information sharing. The policy was created in consultation with stakeholders and developed and funded by ILO, UNICEF, and the Government of Belize. (3) Has a policy goal of reducing the incidence of child labor in Belize and taking significant steps to eliminate the worst forms of child labor by 2025. Prioritizes addressing legislative and information gaps, increasing child labor law compliance, reducing barriers to education, and preventing child labor by ensuring adequate support. (25) Includes feedback from 25 entities on the effectiveness of existing policies on child labor and potential improvements. Quarterly meetings on the status of policy implementation will be organized under the National Child Labor Committee with detailed output and outcome-based reports to be issued at the end of each meeting. (25) Recommends raising both the minimum age for work and the compulsory school age to 16. In January, a national validation workshop for feedback on the new policy was held and the final version was published in July, but the report largely relies on child labor survey data from 2013, limiting its insights. (25) While the policy contains a detailed list of hazardous work activities and conditions and a light work list, they are not legally enforceable. Stakeholders also identified gaps in legislation. (25) |
| CARE Model | Coordinates the protection, care, and monitoring of sexually exploited and trafficked children. Outlines the role of the Department of Human Services and BPD in receiving allegations of commercial sexual exploitation of children and referring children to services. (3,8) Began in 2020 and was active during the reporting period. (14) |
| Amnesty Program† | Offers a path to regularization for qualifying undocumented migrants, including children. From August to the end of December, the Immigration Department received 10,962 Amnesty Program applications, which could help prevent child labor in this population. (3,14) |
† Policy was approved during the reporting period.
‡ The government had other policies that may have addressed child labor issues or had an impact on child labor. (34,35)
In 2022, the government participated in a program that may contribute to eliminating or preventing child labor (Table 10). However, gaps exist in this social program, including adequacy of the program to address the full scope of the problem.
| Program | Description & Activities |
|---|---|
| National Resources Center for Inclusive Education† | Ministry of Education, Culture, Science, Technology and E-Governance program that funds and coordinates school feeding programs in under‐resourced communities. (3) |
For information about USDOL's projects to address child labor around the world, visit https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/ilab-project-page-search
† Program is funded by the Government of Belize.
In 2022, the government participated in a multi-country program, Angel Watch, that helps notify immigration officers of the arrival of suspect individuals and registered sex-offenders. In addition, the government continued to sponsor billboards at the international airport and at border crossing points specifically to address child sex tourism. (11,36) Research found no evidence of government programs to prevent or eliminate commercial sexual exploitation of children, or to assist children working in agriculture, fisheries, or construction. (3,9)
Based on the reporting above, suggested actions are identified that would advance the elimination of child labor in Belize (Table 11).
| Area | Suggested Action | Year(s) Suggested |
|---|---|---|
| Legal Framework | Ensure that the law’s light work provisions specify the activities and conditions in which light work may be undertaken. | 2021 – 2022 |
| Adopt a list of hazardous occupations and activities prohibited for children and ensure that all children under age 18 are prohibited from engaging in hazardous work. | 2009 – 2022 | |
| Ensure that the law prohibits all forms of commercial sexual exploitation of children ages 16 and 17. | 2013 – 2022 | |
| Ensure that laws prohibit the use of children in specific illicit activities, such as the production and trafficking of drugs. | 2013 – 2022 | |
| Ensure that the law criminally prohibits the recruitment of children under age 18 into non-state armed groups. | 2016 – 2022 | |
| Enforcement | Publish complete information on enforcement efforts to address child labor, including labor inspectorate funding. | 2020 – 2022 |
| Ensure that law enforcement agencies have sufficient resources, including vehicles, fuel, and inspectors to conduct labor inspections and criminal investigations, including in rural areas. | 2009 – 2022 | |
| Ensure that the level of inspections, including liquor license inspections, and penalties are sufficient to deter child labor law violations. | 2018 – 2022 | |
| Ensure that inspections are conducted in all sectors most at risk for child labor, including mining, quarrying, and household activities. | 2022 | |
| Prosecute and impose criminal penalties for the worst forms of child labor, including for government officials. | 2017 – 2022 | |
| Ensure that courts have sufficient personnel, including judges, to hear and try human trafficking cases in a timely manner. | 2022 | |
| Improve transparency regarding the status of complaints that are being investigated. | 2021 – 2022 | |
| Social Programs | Conduct a comprehensive study of children’s activities to determine whether they are engaged in or at risk for involvement in the worst forms of child labor, to inform policies and programs. | 2018 – 2022 |
| Increase access to education by eliminating fees; improving educational facilities; hiring additional qualified teachers; and providing textbooks, uniforms, and meals. | 2011 – 2022 | |
| Implement programs to address commercial sexual exploitation of children and programs to assist children working in agriculture, fisheries, and construction. | 2019 – 2022 |
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes (%). Accessed March 15, 2023. For more information, please see "Children's Work and Education Statistics: Sources and Definitions" in the Reference Materials section of this report.
http://data.uis.unesco.org/. - ILO. Analysis of Child Economic Activity and School Attendance Statistics from National Household or Child Labor Surveys. Original data from National Child Activity Survey (SIMPOC), 2013. Analysis received March 2023. Please see “Children's Work and Education Statistics: Sources and Definitions” in the Reference Materials section of this report.
- U.S. Embassy- Belmopan. Reporting. January 27, 2023.
- Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association (BSCFA). Youth Inclusive Community-Based Monitoring and Remediation System on Child Labour (YICBMR). November 29, 2019. Source on file.
- ILO-IPEC. Report of the National Child Activity Survey. Geneva, Statistical Institute of Belize. 2015. Source on file.
- U.S. Embassy- Belmopan official. E-mail communication to USDOL official. March 25, 2021.
- U.S. Embassy- Belmopan. Reporting. January 14, 2022.
- U.S. Embassy- Belmopan. Reporting. January 28, 2020.
- U.S. Embassy- Belmopan. Reporting. January 7, 2021.
- U.S. Embassy- Belmopan. Reporting. February 14, 2020.
- U.S. Embassy- Belmopan. Reporting. February 7, 2023.
- Child Development Foundation official. Interview with USDOL official. January 17, 2018.
- U.S. Department of State. Trafficking in Persons Report- 2021: Belize. Washington, D.C., July 1, 2021.
https://www.state.gov/reports/2021-trafficking-in-persons-report/belize/ - U.S. Embassy- Belmopan official. E-mail communication to USDOL official. June 15, 2023.
- Government of Belize. Labour Act, Revised. Enacted: December 31, 2000. Source on file.
- Government of Belize. Shops Act, Chapter 287, Revised Edition 2000. Enacted: December 31, 2000.
http://www.belizelaw.org/web/lawadmin/index2.html - Government of Belize. Families and Children Act, Revised Edition. Enacted: December 31, 2000. Source on file.
- Government of Belize. The Constitution of Belize, Revised Edition. Enacted: December 31, 2000. Source on file.
- Government of Belize. Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2013, No. 2. Enacted: January 31, 2013. Source on file.
- Government of Belize. Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (Prohibition) Act, 2013, No. 3. Enacted: January 31, 2013. Source on file.
- Government of Belize. Criminal Code. Enacted: December 31, 2000.
https://www.ilo.org/dyn/natlex/docs/ELECTRONIC/68422/66703/F1776464508/BLZ68422.pdf - Government of Belize. Defence Act, Revised Edition. Enacted: December 31, 2000. Source on file.
- Government of Belize. Education Act. Enacted: December 31, 2000. Source on file.
- Government of Belize. Education and Training Act of 2010. Enacted: April 14, 2010.
http://planipolis.iiep.unesco.org/en/2010/belize-education-and-training-act-2010-4916 - Government of Belize. Belize National Child Labour Policy and Strategy, 2022-2025. July, 2022.
https://www.ruraltransformation.gov.bz/docs/50/NationalChildLabourPolicy-BELIZE-HighResolutionWithoutCropMarks_sNO45qE.pdf - ILO Committee of Experts. Individual Direct Request Concerning Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) Belize (ratification: 2000) Published: 2022.
https://www.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en/f?p=1000:13100:0::NO:13100:P13100_COMMENT_ID,P13100_COUNTRY_ID:4116096,103222 - ILO Committee of Experts. Individual Direct Request Concerning Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No.182) Belize (ratification: 2000) Published: 2022.
https://www.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en/f?p=NORMLEXPUB:13100:0::NO::P13100_COMMENT_ID,P13100_COUNTRY_ID:4117287,103222 - The San Pedro Sun. Child Labour & Trafficking in Persons Training for the Agriculture Sector. July 10, 2022.
https://www.sanpedrosun.com/government/2022/07/10/child-labour-trafficking-in-persons-training-for-the-agriculture-sector/ - U.S. Embassy- Belmopan. Reporting. January 15, 2019.
- U.S. Embassy- Belmopan official. E-mail communication to USDOL official. May 5, 2022.
- Ecker, Emma. First 2021 Human Trafficking Convictions in Belize, HTI Provides Survivor Support. Human Trafficking Institute, Accessed February 24, 2022.
https://traffickinginstitute.org/first-2021-human-trafficking-convictions-in-belize/ - U.S. Embassy- Belmopan. Reporting. January 28, 2022.
- ILO Committee of Experts. Individual Direct Request Concerning Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) Belize (ratification: 2000). Published: 2017.
https://www.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en/f?p=1000:13100:0::NO:13100:P13100_COMMENT_ID:3294159 - Government of Belize. Children's Agenda 2017–2030. May 15, 2017. Source on file.
- UNICEF. Road Map To End Child Marriage and Early Unions in Belize. October 2020.
https://www.unicef.org/belize/publications-and-reports/road-map-end-child-marriage-and-early-unions-belize - U.S. Embassy- Belmopan official. E-mail communication to USDOL official. June 28, 2021.
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