This poses challenges for implementing due diligence, visibility, and traceability throughout the supply chain.
A new report titled “Ending child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking in global supply chains” provides the first-ever estimates of child labor and human trafficking in these supply chains. The prevalence of child labor within global supply chains varies across regions, with the following percentages:
- 26 percent in Eastern and South-Eastern Asia.
- 22 percent in Latin America and the Caribbean.
- 12 percent in Central and Southern Asia.
- 12 percent in sub-Saharan Africa.
- 9 percent in northern Africa and Western Asia.
ILO Director-General Guy Ryder emphasized the need for effective action to address violations of core labor rights occurring within supply chains, given that goods and services are produced, processed, assembled, packaged, transported, and consumed across borders and markets.
The report identifies key areas where governments and businesses can take action. It emphasizes the role of governments in addressing legislative gaps, enforcement, and access to justice while promoting responsible business conduct. Governments can also integrate due diligence into their activities, setting an example for businesses.
The report suggests a preventive approach focused on root causes, including child and family deprivation, particularly in the upstream and outsourced segments of global supply chains operating in the informal economy.
For businesses, the report highlights the need for a comprehensive, whole-of-supply-chain approach to due diligence, which incorporates existing practices and introduces new processes specific to supply chains. Effective due diligence for child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking is preventive, proportionate to the severity of harm, and an integral part of risk management.
The estimates presented in the report were generated by combining data on the total number of children in child labor with trade flow and value chain data. The report underscores the lifelong negative consequences of child labor and the importance of addressing root causes like poverty and violence.
The report was compiled in response to a call by the Group of Twenty (G20) Labor and Employment Ministers to assess violations of core labor rights in global supply chains. It offers a multi-agency perspective on the causes of these human rights violations and priorities for governments, businesses, and social partners. The report was produced by the International Labor Organization (ILO), Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
