List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor

There are reports that children ages 5 to 17 in Vietnam cultivate coffee. The results of the Government of Vietnam’s National Child Labor Survey 2012, published in 2014, show that an estimated 34,131 child laborers grow coffee. Approximately 36.7 percent, or 12,526, of these child laborers are under 15 years old, which is the minimum age for employment in Vietnam. Of the estimated 34,131 child laborers who grow coffee, 9.2 percent are 5-11 years old, 27.5 percent are 12-14 years old, and 63.3 percent are 15-17 years old. The survey considers a child to be engaged in child labor if the child is working an excessive number of hours per week for his or her age, or if the child is engaged in work that is prohibited for underage employees according to national legislation. 

Vietnamese Translation

ILAB has reason to believe that cooking oil (palm oil blends) produced in India is produced with an input derived from child labor and forced labor, specifically palm fruit produced in Malaysia. Palm fruit from Malaysia was added to ILAB’s List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor in 2009 for forced labor and added in 2014 for child labor. Research from NGOs and media reports continue to show tens of thousands of children work in the palm fruit sector in Malaysia. Similar reporting shows forced labor indicators are widespread in palm fruit plantations, particularly among migrant workers who face vulnerabilities during and after recruitment. Malaysia processes its palm fruit into products including crude palm oil, crude palm kernel oil, refined palm oil, and refined palm kernel oil, which it exports to the global supply chain. India imported over $3.43 billion in crude palm oil and crude palm kernel oil from Malaysia in 2021, representing nearly half of the imports of these products into India. Cooking oil (palm oil blends) produced in India uses Malaysian palm oil, which is produced using forced labor and child labor. In 2022, crude palm oil from Malaysia accounted for 35% of global imports and refined palm oil from Malaysia represented 26% of global imports. This research suggests that further worldwide downstream products of palm fruit and palm oil, such as animal feed, baked goods, beverages, household and industrial products, personal care products, cosmetic products, infant formula, and shortening, may be produced with an input produced with child labor and forced labor.

ILAB has reason to believe that multiple palm oil products produced in Malaysia are produced with an input derived from child labor and forced labor, specifically palm fruit produced in Malaysia. These palm oil products include crude palm oil, crude palm kernel oil, refined palm oil, refined palm kernel oil, cooking oil (palm oil blends), oleochemicals, and biofuel. Palm fruit from Malaysia was added to ILAB’s List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor in 2009 for forced labor and added in 2014 for child labor. Research from NGOs and media reports continue to show tens of thousands of children work in the palm fruit sector in Malaysia. Similar reporting shows forced labor indicators are widespread in palm fruit plantations, particularly among migrant workers who face vulnerabilities during and after recruitment. This research suggests that further worldwide downstream products of palm fruit and palm oil, such as animal feed, baked goods, beverages, household and industrial products, personal care products, cosmetic products, infant formula, and shortening, may be produced with an input produced with child labor and forced labor.

There are reports that children as young as age 6 are engaged in the production of copper in Zambia. Reports from news organizations, NGOs, and government officials have confirmed the presence of child labor in copper mines. Children who mine copper are exposed to several hazards, including carrying heavy loads, crushing stones, digging with their hands or sharp tools, and manually carrying ore from dangerous underground tunnels that could collapse at any time. This work is often done with no PPE, minimal food, and in unsanitary conditions where children endure verbal and physical abuse. According to reports, as many as 30% of children in mining regions work in mining, including extracting copper. In many cases children drop out of school to work at these mines to help support their families, and some are recruited by local gangs.

ILAB has reason to believe that copper products produced in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are made with an input produced with child labor, specifically copper ore produced in the DRC. Copper ore from the DRC was added to ILAB’s List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor in 2009 for child labor. Children mine, collect, crush, and wash copper ore in the DRC’s artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector in Haut Katanga and Lualaba. This ore is sold and traded to processing facilities in the DRC, where copper ore mined by children becomes mixed with copper ore from a variety of sources and is used to produce copper products including unrefined copper anodes, refined copper cathodes, and copper alloys. This research suggests that further downstream products of copper ore, such as electric vehicles, electrical equipment, electrical wiring, brass, steel, telecommunications products, and construction materials, may be produced with an input produced with child labor.

French Translation

ILAB has reason to believe that coconut oil and copra meal produced in the Philippines are produced with an input produced with child labor, specifically coconuts produced in the Philippines. Coconut from the Philippines produced with child labor was added to ILAB’s List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor in 2009. The Philippines is a leading global exporter of coconut oil and copra meal. In 2021, the Philippines exported $1.8 billion of coconut oil, representing 46.4% of total global exports. In 2021, the Philippines exported $92 million of copra meal, representing 53.5% of total global exports. This research suggests that further downstream products of coconut, such as animal feed, household and industrial items, bakery items, personal care and cosmetic products, may be produced with an input produced with child labor.