Child Labor and Forced Labor Reports

Colombia

Bricks (clay)
Bricks (clay)
Child Labor Icon
Coal
Coal
Child Labor Icon
Coca (stimulant plant)
Coca (stimulant plant)
Child Labor Icon
Forced Child Labor Icon
Forced Labor Icon
Coffee
Coffee
Child Labor Icon
Emeralds
Emeralds
Child Labor Icon
Gold
Gold
Child Labor Icon
Pornography
Pornography
Child Labor Icon
Sugarcane
Sugarcane
Child Labor Icon
Fruits (pome and stone)
Fruits (pome and stone)
Child Labor Icon
Grapes
Grapes
Child Labor Icon
Colombia
2022 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor:

Significant Advancement

In 2022, Colombia made significant advancement in efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labor. Through Law 2205, the government amended the Code of Criminal Procedure, which prioritizes and accelerates investigations into commercial sexual exploitation and the use of children in pornography by establishing a prosecution timeline for the Attorney General's Office. The government also increased the number of labor inspectors from 885 to 1,165, developed an elite group of inspectors to focus on child labor, and increased the capacity of labor inspectors to identify children at risk. Furthermore, the Colombian Institute for Family Welfare established a 2023 Action Plan with Ecuadorian authorities to address child labor in illegal mining operations. Lastly, the government increased Venezuelan migrant children's enrollment in the education system by approximately 20 percent compared to the year prior. However, children in Colombia are subjected to the worst forms of child labor, including in commercial sexual exploitation and illicit activities, each sometimes as a result of human trafficking. In addition, inadequate resource allocation for the labor inspectorate, including an insufficient number of labor inspectors, may impede government efforts to protect children from the worst forms of child labor. Finally, existing social programs are insufficient to address the scope of the worst forms of child labor in Colombia, including commercial sexual exploitation and forced begging.

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