List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor
The Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) maintains a list of goods and their source countries which it has reason to believe are produced by child labor or forced labor in violation of international standards, as required under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) of 2005 and subsequent reauthorizations. The List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor comprises 204 goods from 82 countries and areas, as of September 5, 2024.
The Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2018 directs that the List include, "to the extent practicable, goods that are produced with inputs that are produced with forced labor or child labor."
ILAB maintains the List primarily to raise public awareness about forced labor and child labor around the world and to promote efforts to combat them; it is not intended to be punitive, but rather to serve as a catalyst for more strategic and focused coordination and collaboration among those working to address these problems.
Previous TVPRA List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor
2022
- List of Goods (Full Report) (PDF)
- List of Downstream Goods (Excel)
- List of Goods (Bibliography) (PDF)
Publication of the List has resulted in new opportunities for ILAB to engage with foreign governments to combat forced labor and child labor. It is also a valuable resource for researchers, advocacy organizations and companies wishing to carry out risk assessments and engage in due diligence on labor rights in their supply chains.
The countries on the List span every region of the world. The most common agricultural goods listed are sugarcane, cotton, coffee, tobacco, cattle, rice, and fish. In the manufacturing sector, bricks, garments, textiles, footwear, carpets, and fireworks appear most frequently. In mined or quarried goods, gold, coal and diamonds are most common.
ILAB published the initial TVPRA List in 2009 and updated it annually through 2014, following a set of procedural guidelines that were the product of an intensive public consultation process. ILAB now updates and publishes the List every other year, pursuant to changes in the law.
Procedural Guidelines
On January 25, 2024, ILAB's Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor, and Human Trafficking published Procedural Guidelines for the development and maintenance of the List of Goods from countries produced by child labor or forced labor in violation of international standards.
DOL's mission is to foster, promote, and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers, and retirees of the United States. This DOL mission is carried out by a variety of sub-agencies and offices (DOL agencies) covering domestic and international policy engagements, workforce development, enforcement, statistics, and benefits. DOL has a responsibility to protect the integrity of scientific information that is produced, communicated, and used across DOL agencies to better carry out its mission. ILAB is committed to using the highest possible scientific integrity and quality standards and practices to conduct our critical work. Scientific integrity is the adherence to professional practices, ethical behavior, and the principles of honesty and objectivity when conducting, managing, using the results of, and communicating about science and scientific activities. Inclusivity, transparency, and protection from inappropriate influence are hallmarks of scientific integrity.
Country/Area | Good Sort ascending | Exploitation Type |
---|---|---|
Cambodia | Child Labor | |
Indonesia | Child Labor | |
Liberia | Child Labor | |
Philippines | Child Labor | |
Vietnam | There is evidence that children ages 5 to 17 in Vietnam cultivate rubber. The results of the Government of Vietnam’s National Child Labor Survey 2012, published in 2014, show that an estimated 10,224 child laborers are involved in growing rubber. Approximately 42.5 percent, or 4,345, of these child laborers are under 15 years old, which is the minimum age for employment in Vietnam. Of the estimated 10,224 child laborers who grow rubber, 22.1 percent are 5-11 years old, 20.4 percent are 12-14 years old, and 57.5 percent are 15-17 years old. The survey considers a child to be engaged in child labor if the child is working an excessive number of hours per week for his or her age, or if the child is engaged in work that is prohibited for underage employees according to national legislation. |
Child Labor |
Brazil | Child Labor | |
Burma | There are reports that children as young as age nine are forced to work in the production of rice in Burma. According to NGOs, villagers, including children, are forced to work planting and harvesting rice for the military camps. These children are forced to work on rotation year-round for the military, although most rice paddy cultivation occurs during the rainy season. Local officials and the military enforce the work orders, and workers cannot refuse to work, even if sick. The forced child laborers are not paid for their work, and the children are beaten if their work is considered to be of unacceptable quality. |
Child Labor, Forced Labor |
Dominican Republic | Child Labor | |
Ecuador | There are reports that children ages 5 to 17 work in the production of rice in Ecuador. Based on the analysis of Ecuador’s 2019 National Survey of Employment, Unemployment, and Underemployment, an estimated 5,896 children under the minimum age for work are involved in child labor in rice production. The ILO has found that generally, children who work in agriculture may be at risk of exposure to hazards including working long hours, carrying heavy loads, using dangerous tools, exposure to the elements, physical injuries, and chemicals, such as pesticides. The release of this survey demonstrates the Government of Ecuador’s commitment to addressing child labor and its acknowledgement that data collection is vital to the design and implementation of sound policies and programs. |
Child Labor |
Ghana | There is evidence that children ages 5 to 14 are involved in the growing of rice in Ghana. Based on an analysis of the Ghana Living Standards Survey, an estimated 19,124 child laborers are involved in the growing of rice. There are some health and safety issues associated with the growing of rice that include extended time out in the sun, burns from the parboiling process, and infections from harvesting in the rice paddies. The release of this survey demonstrates the Government of Ghana’s commitment to addressing child labor and its acknowledgement that data collection is vital to the design and implementation of sound policies and programs. |
Child Labor |
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