Addressing Child Labor in the Workplace and Supply Chain
The note seeks to provide companies who are interested in addressing the topic of child labor with a range of basic, good practice approaches that other businesses have successfully applied in addressing the issue of harmful child labor in their wo...
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| Language: | English en_US |
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International Finance Corporation, Washington, D.C.
2017
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| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/679441468762317126/Addressing-child-labor-in-the-workplace-and-supply-chain http://hdl.handle.net/10986/26456 |
| Summary: | The note seeks to provide companies who
are interested in addressing the topic of child labor with a
range of basic, good practice approaches that other
businesses have successfully applied in addressing the issue
of harmful child labor in their workplaces and those of
their vendors and suppliers. According to International
Labour Organization (ILO) statistics published in May 2002,
there are an estimated 352 million children aged 5-17
engaged in some form of economic activity around the world.
Of these 352 million, 246 million are either (i) below their
country's minimum age for employment; (ii) working in
occupations that jeopardize the physical, mental or moral
well-being of a child; or (iii) working as slaves,
prostitutes or bonded laborers. Action against harmful child
labor tends to be most effective when it involves a range of
stakeholders from the public and private sectors as well as
civil society. Government has a role to play in drafting and
enforcing laws and providing educational opportunities.
Civil society performs a valuable function by filling gaps
in government services and by lending a voice to community
concerns. Companies are increasingly working together with
government and civil society to address complex issues such
as child labor. This note does not constitute policy or
contain policy requirements; rather its purpose is to share
learning and experiences with a private sector audience.
Specifically, the note addresses what constitutes harmful
child labor; its Implications for the private sector; how to
address the issue in the workplace; how to respond when
harmful child labor is detected; how to manage supply chain
risks; targeting corporation vendor compliance. The note
provides a case study on eliminating harmful child labor in
the carpet industry, the Obeetee Approach, and examines
harmful child labor, forms and effects. For more
publications on IFC Sustainability please visit www.ifc.org/sustainabilitypublications. |
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