Child Labour in the Americas State of progress

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Child Labour in the AmericasState of progress

• IACML / GT2
• Buenos Aires, 12 April 2005.

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What is child labour?

• It is any economic activity performed by male and
  female children and adolescents below the minimum
  age specified by a given country for admission to
  employment, whatever their occupational
  classification (wage earner, self-employed,
  unpaid family worker).
• Child labour also includes economic activities
  undertaken by male and female children and
  adolescents under 18 years of age, where they
  interfere with schooling, or are performed in
  dangerous environments or under conditions
  affecting their immediate or future
  psychological, physical, social and moral
  development.

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General Legal Framework

• Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1990.
• ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and
  Rights at Work, 1998.
• Minimum Age Convention n.138, 1973.
• Minimum Age Recommendation n. 146, 1973.
• Worst Forms of Child Labour Conventionn. 182,
  1999.
• Worst Forms of Child Labour Recommendation n.
  190, 1999

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What must be eliminated

• Any work or labour activity performed by a male
  or female child or adolescent below the
  established minimum age.
• Any work endangering their physical or moral
  health or interfering with his/her education.
• Without delay, the universally recognized worst
  forms of child labour slavery, bonded labour,
  human trafficking, forced recruitment and use in
  armed conflicts, commercial sexual exploitation,
  pornography, illicit activities.

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What must be eliminated (cont.)
Fuente Panorama Laboral ILO 2004
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The problem

• Poverty
• Lack of access to social programmes
• Inadequate education
• Insufficient income

Need to use child labour
Child Labour
Precarious Labour
Family needsnot always met
The child labour cycle is not broken
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The size of the problem
246 million male and female children aged 5-17
are working 180 million male and female children
aged 5-17 are exposed to the worst forms of child
labour
of economically active children over the total
population aged 5-14
ASIA AND THE PACÍFIC
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SUBSAHARIAN AFRICA
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Sectors
Agriculture,fishing,hunting,forestry 70.0
Manufacturing
8.3 Commerce
8.3 Community services
6.5 Transport
3.8 Building
1.9
Mining
0.8
LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
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MIDDLE EAST AND NORTHERN AFRICA
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Source Global Report. A Future without Child
Labour. ILO - 2002.
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The size of the problem (cont.)
Fuente Panorama Laboral ILO 2004
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The size of the problem (cont.)
Fuente Panorama Laboral ILO 2004
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How best to approach this problem?

• After nearly 10 years of experience accumulated
  since IPECs launch in the Region, the ILO has
  learned that the best strategy for addressing the
  child labour issue is one comprising a number of
  actions centered on three approaches

Regional Approach
National Approach
DirectAction
CountryProgrammes
Systematizatión
SubregionalPlans
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How best to approach this problem? (cont.)
Regional Plan
Regional Goals
RegionalApproach
TripartiteMeetings
American Summit
Summit of Iberoamerican Heads of State
Regional Information System on CL (SIRTI)
Horizontal Cooperation among countries
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How best to approach this problem? (cont.)
Subgroup 10
MERCOSURPlan
Parliamentary Commission
Socio-LabourCommission
SubregionalApproach
AndeanPlan
Cartagena Agreement Junta
Horizontal Cooperation among countries
Comisión Andina Juristas
Central American Plan
Summit of Labour Ministers
PARLACEN
CARICOM Plan
Summit of Labour Ministers
HorizontalCooperation
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How best to approach this problem? (cont.)
Statistics Adaptation
Labour Inspection
NationalApproach (Country Programmes)
Legislative Adaptation
Strengthening Social Partners
Incorporating CL into Social Policies
National Policy Monitoring systems
Direct Action Programmes
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How far have we got?

• Institutionalizing the fight against child labour
• SOUTH AMERICA
• National Commissions
• In all countries National Commissions for the
  Elimination of Child Labour have been created,
  whether tripartite or quadripartite.

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How far have we got? (cont.)

• National Plans
• The National Plans embody effective
  compliance with ILO Convention n. 138 on the
  minimum age for admission to employment, and
  provide the guidelines and strategies to be
  followed by individual countries in order to
  achieve the goal of preventing and eliminating
  child labour.

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How far have we got? (cont.)

• CENTRAL AMERICA, PANAMA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC ,
  HAITI AND MEXICO
• National Commissions
• In all countries National Commissions for the
  Elimination of Child Labour have been created,
  whether tripartite or quadripartite.

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How far have we got? (cont.)

• National Plans
• The National Plans embody effective compliance
  with ILO Convention n. 138 on the minimum age for
  admission to employment, and provide the
  guidelines and strategies to be followed by
  individual countries in order to achieve the goal
  of preventing and eliminating child labour.

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How far have we got? (cont.)

• THE CARIBBEAN
• 2001 Specific child labour elimination actions
  begin.
• COUNTRIES Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Guyana,
  Jamaica, Surinam, Trinidad and Tobago.
• NATIONALCOMMISSIONS Commissions have been set
  up in each of these seven countries.
• NATIONAL PLANS Being prepared in Belize,
  Surinam, Trinidad and Tobago.

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ILO Child Labour Conventions

• In the region, overall there are 35 countries
  members of the ILO.
• 27 countries have ratified Convention n. 138 on
  the minimum age for admission to employment. (The
  following countries have not ratified the
  Convention Canada, Haiti, Mexico, Saint Kitts
  and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent Granadines,
  Soriname, USA.)
• 31 countries have ratified Convention n. 182 on
  the worst forms of child labour. (The following
  countries have not ratified the Convention Cuba,
  Haiti, Surinam, Venezuela)
• Only 2 countries (Surinam and Haiti) have
  ratified neither Convention.

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Legislative Harmonization State of Progress
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Legislative Harmonization State of Progress
(cont.)

• In the Regions countries the minimum age for
  admission to employment has been raised to 14 or
  15 years, and to 16 years in some (Brazil and
  Honduras) .
• All countries have begun legislative
  harmonization processes on labour, criminal
  education and childrens protection laws, in line
  with ILO Conventions n. 138 and n. 182.
• Labour and Criminal Codes have been reformed in
  several countries in the Region.
• ILO supports and provides technical assistance to
  the process of reform of childrens and
  adolescents codes in Argentina, Costa Rica,
  Chile, Ecuador, Guatemala, Paraguay, Peru and
  Dominican Republic.

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Legislative Harmonization State of Progress
(cont.)

• Work to identify dangerous types of work is
  making steady progress in Argentina, Brazil,
  Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador and
  Paraguay, Dominican Republic, in accordance with
  Convention n. 182, art. 3 d..
• National studies on legislative harmonization
  have been carried out in the Mercosur countries
  and Chile.
• Comparative legislation studies have been carried
  out on child domestic labour and the commercial
  sexual exploitation of children.
• In the Caribbean, a comparative national
  legislation study is under way, along with
  legislative adaptation to ensure compliance with
  the commitment to eliminate child labour. Work
  will be completed in April 2005.

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Statistics Adaptation State of Progress

• 13 countriesnamely Belize, Brazil, Chile,
  Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador,
  Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama,
  Dominican Republic -- have carried out national
  surveys on child labour and are about to carry
  out national surveys including a child labour
  module as a part of their Household Surveys.
• 4 countriesnamely Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay,
  Peru-- are preparing child labour surveys
  (SIMPOC).
• OTHER STATISTICAL STUDIES
• 54 rapid evaluations on the child labour
  situation in various countries and sectors.
• 40 baseline studies.

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Sectoral Research

• AGRICULTURE
• On the agricultural sector and specific crops
  Guyana, Dominican Republic, Surinam and Trinidad
• Rice Dominican Republic
• Banana Ecuador
• Broccoli Guatemala
• Sugar cane Bolivia and El Salvador
• Coffee Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala,
  Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama Dominican Republic
• Building Ecuador
• Flower growing Ecuador
• Basic grains Nicaragua
• Ferns Guatemala
• Melon Honduras
• Tobacco Honduras and Nicaragua
• Tomato Dominican Republic

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Sectoral Research

• On small-scale mining Bolivia, Colombia,
  Ecuador, Guyana, Peru and Surinam
• On child domestic labour Brazil, Colombia,
  Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala,
  Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru,
  Dominican Republic, Surinam and Trinidad
  Tobago.
• On solid wastes gathering Ecuador, El Salvador,
  Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Peru and Trinidad
  Tobago.
• On fireworks El Salvador, Guatemala and
  Honduras.
• On fishing activities El Salvador, Guyana and
  Honduras.
• On urban child labour Jamaica, El Salvador and
  Dominican Republic.
• On tourism Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica and
  Tinidad Tobago.
• On the involvement of male and female children
  and adolescents in commercial sexual
  exploitation Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile,
  Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador,
  Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama,
  Paraguay, Peru, Dominican Republic, Surinam and
  Trinidad Tobago.

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Sharing information

• Regional bulletin Encuentros
• Access for South America
• http//www.oit.org.pe/ipec/boletin
• Access for Central America
• http//www.oit.org.pe/ipec/boletin_cr/
• Web page of IPEC América Latina
• Access for South America
• http//www.oit.org.pe/ipec
• Access for Central America
• http//www.ipec.oit.or.cr/
• Information network
• Over 5000 subscribers.
• Bibliographic colection
• 1900 titles available for ON LINE consultation

The Regional Information System on Child Labour -
SIRTI The information generated in the Region on
child labour, whatever the source, is collected,
organized, and then distributed and made
available to a variety of users through
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Direct Action Serving Male and Female Children,
Adolescents, and their Communities

• Between 1996 and 2005 nearly 300 intervention
  projects were carried out in a wide range of
  sectors in South America.
• COMMERCIAL AGRICULTURE AND RURAL LABOUR
• 47 projects in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Costa
  Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico,
  Nicaragua, Dominican Republic.
• RUBBISH DUMPS
• 14 projects in Argentina, Ecuador, El Salvador,
  Guatemala, Nicaragua, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago.
• FIREWORKS
• 6 projects in El Salvador and Guatemala.
• COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION, TRAFFICKING IN
  HUMAN BEINGS
• 26 projects in Argentina, Brazil (involvement of
  male and female children in drug trafficking),
  Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala,
  Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic,
  Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela.
• BRICKWORKS
• 7 projects in Argentina, Ecuador, Peru.
• MINING
• 44 projects in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador,
  Guatemala, Nicaragua, Peru.

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Direct Action Serving Male and Female Children,
Adolescents, and their Communities (cont.)

• FISHERIES
• 11 projects in Costa Rica, El Salvador,
  Honduras, Jamaica.
• CHILD DOMESTIC LABOUR
• 33 projects in Brazil, Costa Rica, Colombia, El
  Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua,
  Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Dominican Republic.
• URBAN CHILD LABOUR
• 28 projects en Brazil, Bolivia, Costa Rica,
  Colombia, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Guyana,
  Honduras, Jamaica, Paraguay, Peru,
• CHILD LABOUR IN BRICKWORKS
• 6 projects in Ecuador, Peru.
• AWARENESS RAISING AND SOCIAL MOBILIZATION
• 17 projects in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile,
  Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru Dominican
  Republic.
• EDUCATION
• 5 projects in Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Peru.
• INSTITUTION STRENGTHENING

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Workers Organizations against Child Labour

• They are active participants in National
  Commissions or Committes for the Prevention and
  Elimination of Child Labour.
• They have contributed to the ratification of ILO
  Conventions n. 138 and 182 by Colombia (CUT,
  CTC, CGTD) Ecuador (FUT, CEOSL, CEDOC/CLAT)
  Guatemala (CUSG) and Peru (CUT, CGTP).
• They monitor working conditions and report abuses
  against male and female children and adolescents.
• They inform adult workers about the importance of
  providing their sons and daughters with
  education, of protecting them against work
  hazards and submitting proposals for
  consideration at the collective negotiation
  table.
• In MERCOSUR and Chile, 8 central trade unions
  grouped under the South Cone Central Trade Unions
  Coordinating Bureau CCSCS are carrying out a
  project that envisages participation in the
  Subregions child labour elimination policies.
• UATRE in Argentina, CMT and the Costa Rica
  Education Workers Union are engaged in direct
  action projects.

• IPEC has promoted programmes focused on
  mobilizing teachers organizations in

MEXICO
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
NICARAGUA
COSTA RICA
COLOMBIA
PERÚ SUTEP
CHILE Colegio de Profesores de Chile
ARGENTINA CTERA
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Employers organizations against child labour
National Network for the Elimination of Child
Labour CENTRAL AMERICA

• Have subscribed declarations committing
  themselves not to hire male or female child
  workers in their businesses. This commitment has
  been confirmed in Codes of Conduct.
• Have carried out joint projects addressing
  children-related issues.
• Take active part in identifying industries or
  activities employing minor workers.
• Develop basic education, vocational training and
  capacity strengthening programmes.
• Support the creation of income generation
  alternatives for the families of children, and
  for the improvement of working conditions for
  adolescents.

Brazil
Argentina, Chile, Peru
Consejo Hondureño de la Empresa Privada
Unión Costarricense de Cámaras de Asociaciones de
la Empresa Privada
Colombia
Confederación de Empresarios Privados de Bolivia
Consejo Nacional de la Empresa Privada
Confederación Nacional de Instituciones
Empresariales Privadas Peru
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Conclusions and Recommendations

• Only 10 years ago child labour was not seen as a
  problem, given the dearth of national and
  regional capacities to address it.
• In spite of the progress made by individual
  countries in approving policies and plans to
  address and eliminate child labour, the high
  incidence of the latter in our region points to
  the need to redouble efforts and take stronger
  actions to address this scourge in each and every
  country.
• To ensure their sustainability, efforts against
  the types of child labour to be abolished must
  become a public policy priority through their
  institutionalization and integration into
  national policies and programmes, and the social
  agendas of governments, on a par with poverty
  reduction strategies.
• On one hand, it is necessary to ensure that
  existing social programmes are accessible to
  families with children engaged in work to be
  abolished. On the other hand, access to those
  programmes by the families concerned should, for
  instance, be subject to the condition that their
  working children are withdrawn from work.
• The high rural incidence of work to be abolished
  and its concentration in agriculture point to the
  necessity to carry out programmes directed at and
  adapted for rural areas, and taking into account
  the social, economic and infrastructural
  limitations often faced by the inhabitants of
  those areas.

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Conclusions and Recommendations (cont.)

• Link CONAETIs to national childrens rights
  protection systems.
• Adapt and effectively apply the legislation
  comprised within the framework of ILO Conventions
  n. 138 and n. 182.
• Carry out surveys in countries where this
  information is not yet available and
  systematically include the Child Labour Module
  every 2/4 years in household surveys.
• Address the issue of child labour in indigenous
  populations.
• Strengthen and organize Horizontal Cooperation.

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• Let us build together an
• UTOPIA THAT IS WITHIN REACH

Un futuro sin trabajo infantil