New and updated tools and resources are now available to assist in the international battle against child and forced labor, the U.S. Department of Labor announced recently.
The DOL's nternational Labor Affairs bureau (ILAB) has published its latest editions of two reports that identify problematic industries in other nations and report on foreign governments' progress in mitigating the problems, the DOL reported Sept. 28. ILBA also updated two apps that provide quick access to information on handheld devices, the announcement reports.
"The International Labor Organization estimates that millions of people worldwide are working in abusive labor conditions, among them 160 million child laborers and 27.6 million forced laborers," the DOL states in the report. "The new ILAB reports help detail where and in which industries these abuses exist, assist foreign governments with effective policy responses, and support businesses’ due diligence and risk management systems."
The 10th edition of ILAB's “List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor” lists 158 goods, including 32 new items, from 77 countries, suspected to be made by children or forced workers; and three studies focused on lithium-ion batteries, palm oil and solar panels, the DOL reports. The 21st edition of the “Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor” looks at child-labor issues such as forced labor, hazardous work, trafficking, commercial sexual exploitation and armed conflict and efforts made to eliminate the practices, according to the report.
DOL Sec. Marty Walsh said the "updated reports provide a blueprint for those determined to eliminate child labor and forced labor worldwide,” the statement reports.
“They also serve as useful guides to know where these problems persist," Walsh said, 'and how the global community can act to end reprehensible practices that have no place in a 21st century world economy.”
Two apps are available for download on iOS and Android platforms, the announcement reports - the Comply Chain app gives "detailed guidance" on how companies can create systems to manage compliance in supply chains and stop labor abuses; and the Sweat & Toil app shares data on items produced by forced and/or child labor as well as governments' efforts to end labor abuses.
"New in 2022 are data visualizations that help users identify regional trends in eliminating child labor, view goods produced with exploitative labor by region and industry, and analyze the use of child labor by industry and country," the DOL reports.
