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 159 goods from 78 countries and areas, as of September 28, 2022.
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.
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.
Country/Area Sort descending | Good | Exploitation Type |
---|---|---|
Kyrgyz Republic | Child Labor | |
Lebanon | Child Labor | |
Lebanon | There are reports that children ages 7 to 17 harvest potatoes in Lebanon. Most children are Syrian refugees who live and work in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley. Based on information from international humanitarian organizations, thousands of children are engaged in child labor in the cultivation and harvesting of potatoes. Many of these children work long hours carrying heavy loads, are exposed to extreme temperatures, and lack access to potable water and toilet facilities. Some are beaten by their employers if they do not behave as expected or work slower than required. Many of these children do not attend school. |
Child Labor |
Lesotho | Child Labor | |
Liberia | Child Labor | |
Liberia | Child Labor | |
Madagascar | There are reports that children ages 3 to 17 produce mica in Madagascar, primarily in the southern provinces of Androy, Anosy, and Ihorombe. A study published in 2019 estimated that 10,800 children are involved in mining and sorting mica. Adolescent boys dig mines and risk injury from falling rocks as they use sharp tools to extract mica from underground with no protective gear. Both boys and girls work long hours in the hot sun carrying heavy loads and are exposed to mica and sand dust throughout the production process. Child laborers usually do not attend school, and girls working at the mines are particularly vulnerable to commercial sexual exploitation. |
Child Labor |
Madagascar | Child Labor | |
Madagascar | Child Labor | |
Madagascar | Child Labor |
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