One of the targets of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals is to end to child labor in all forms by 2025. The problem is that if trends don’t significantly change, we’ll not even come close.

What is hazardous child labor?

The worst forms of child labor includes children working in mines, with toxic chemicals and pesticides, or working with dangerous machinery. The most horrific examples include children working in slavery.

There is hope to stop the worst forms of child labour. But huge efforts are needed.

Previous goal of ending worst forms of child labor by 2016 didn’t go well.

In 1997, governments, employers' and workers' organisations in a joined effort agreed to end the worst forms of child labor by 2016. But today, there are still 73 million children in the worst forms of child labor, which includes child slavery and hazardous work.

Countries of child labor

The countries where children are exposed to the highest risk of child labor are:

• North Korea
• Somalia
• South Sudan
• Eritrea
• Central African Republic
• Sudan
• Venezuela
• Papua New Guinea
• Chad
• Mozambique

In addition, child labor is widespread in countries such as: Bangladesh, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, India, Liberia, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Egypt, China, Thailand.

Examples of products produced by child labor

Most children in child labor work in agriculture but child labor takes place in all sectors. The distribution is roughly:

• Agriculture: 70.9 %
• Services: 17.2 %
• Industry: 11.9 %

Examples of agricultural products produced by child labor: Sugar, coffee, tea, cocoa, tobacco, rice, potatos, beans, cattle/beef.

Services using child labor include: Hotels, restaurants, retail, cleaning, repairs, transportation.

Industrial products affected by child labor include: Clothing, textiles, carpets, electronics, footwear furniture.

Heavy industries using child labor: Mining (gold, coal, oil, diamonds, granite, iron tin), construction, cotton production.

Mining: an extremely dangerous form of child labor

About 1 million children work in mines. These kids face mercury poisoning, respiratory problems, musculo-skeletal disorders, and they risk being severely injured, permanently disabled, or even killed.

Child labor in the clothing supply chain

Child labor is involved in virtually all steps of the clothing and cotton industry - from the cotton field to the sweatshops producing and dyeing the clothes. The work includes exposure to pesticides and toxic chemicals as well as long working hours under extreme temperatures for less than 75 cents a day.

Child labor in global supply chains

Child labor is not just used for products targeted domestic markets in the countries affected. Child labor in the supply chain of international cooperations selling products on the global market is well documented. 

Companies have a responsibility for their supply chain. But not all companies take this responsibility seriously.

“Companies that sell their products in Europe and the US have no clue where the textiles come from”.

- Sofie Ovaa, Stop Child Labour Global Campaign Coordinator.

What you can do as a consumer

Go for fairtrade products and support companies that never use child labor.