List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor

There are reports that children as young as age five are forced to work in coal mines in Balochistan, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and the Northwest Frontier Province. Some of these children work as bonded labor; under this arrangement, which is typical of the Pakistani “peshgis” system, children work alongside, or in place of, other members of their indebted families. The children are forced to work without protective equipment. Their work involves blasting rocks with dynamite and digging to extract coal in deep narrow shafts below ground. The children are also forced to lead donkeys deep underground and lead them back out hauling the mined coal.

There are reports that adults are forced to work in the production of cobalt ore in some mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Conditions of forced labor are prevalent among workers who mine cobalt in the Copperbelt region, particularly in Haut-Katanga and Lualaba. Reports from CSOs, field research, and other sources indicate the existence of the following forced labor indicators in the cobalt industry: inability to refuse hazardous work, abusive overtime requirements, denial of rights or threats of dismissal, and withholding of wages or other promised benefits. Some cobalt workers are forced to work in improperly reinforced tunnels that are at risk of collapsing, with poor ventilation and little protective equipment. In addition, it is widely reported that cobalt workers can be vulnerable to forced labor due to the lack of alternative livelihoods, and there are reports that workers face threats of dismissal for complaining about labor conditions. Further, some cobalt workers have informal financial relationships with intermediaries or sponsors, and in some cases these dynamics create vulnerability to wage manipulation, debt bondage, or other abuses. The availability of this research demonstrates the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s commitment to addressing labor abuses in the production of cobalt.

French Translation

There are reports that children ages 5 to 17 are involved in coca production in Bolivia. Based on an analysis of Bolivia’s 2019 Survey of Girls, Boys, and Adolescents, an estimated 26,163 child laborers are involved in coca production. Although Bolivia permits a limited amount of coca cultivation to satisfy demand for traditional uses, the coca plant may be used to produce cocaine, a highly addictive narcotic. Children who work in agriculture may be at risk of exposure to hazards including working long hours, carrying heavy loads, exposure to the elements, physical injuries, and chemicals, such as pesticides. The release of this survey demonstrates the Government of Bolivia’s commitment to addressing child labor and its acknowledgement that data collection is vital to the design and implementation of sound policies and programs.

Spanish Translation

There are reports that children in Colombia as young as 11 years old are forced to cultivate and pick coca, and to scrape coca leaves. The Government, NGOs, media, and the ILO indicate that some children are forcibly recruited by non-state armed groups, such as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the National Liberation Army, and criminal groups to pick coca. Others are forced by drug traffickers. Criminal and illegal armed groups use threats of torture or death to prevent children from attempting to escape. 

Spanish Translation

There is evidence that children ages 5 to 13 cultivate cocoa in Brazil. In the North of Brazil, children work with family members to cultivate cocoa. The ILO has found that generally children who work in agriculture may be at risk of exposure to hazards including, working long hours, carrying heavy loads, using dangerous tools, and exposure to the elements, physical injuries, and chemicals, such as pesticides. The Government of Brazil’s 2015 National Household Survey considers all work performed by children below age 14 to be child labor. Based on an analysis of the survey, an estimated 2,597 child laborers cultivate cocoa. The release of this survey demonstrates the Government of Brazil’s commitment to addressing child labor and its acknowledgement that data collection is vital to the design and implementation of sound policies and programs. 

Portuguese Translation