List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor

There are reports that children are involved in cattle-raising activities in Kenya. According to U.S. government and media reports, school-age children provide duties related to tending and caring for animals, often requiring them to travel long distances from home and be absent from school. Kenya law identifies cattle herding as a hazardous work activity for children. Children’s engagement in cattle herding is endemic across Kenya, particularly in the arid northern regions of the country, including Busia, Kajiado, and Marsabit Counties, and in Migori County in Western Kenya.

There is evidence that children between the ages of 5 and 17 are involved in cattle raising in Mexico.  Based on an analysis of Mexico’s National Survey of Occupation and Employment – Child Labor Module 2017, an estimated 18,501 children work in cattle raising.  According to Mexico’s national legislation, agricultural activities, which include cattle raising, are considered to be hazardous occupations and are prohibited for children younger than age 18.  The release of this survey demonstrates the Government of Mexico’s commitment to addressing child labor and its acknowledgment that data collection is vital to the design and implementation of sound policies and programs.

Spanish Translation

There is evidence that children ages 5 to 17 raise cattle in Paraguay. National legislation designates cattle raising as a hazardous activity prohibited for children in Paraguay. In 2016, the Government of Paraguay published representative results from the Survey of Activities of Rural Area Children and Adolescents 2015. The survey considers a working child to be engaged in child labor if the child is below the minimum age for employment of 14 or the child is performing work that is hazardous according to national legislation. The survey estimates that 301,827 children ages 5 to 17 perform hazardous work in rural areas of Paraguay and indicates that children working in agriculture experience accidents and illnesses, including from using dangerous tools and handling chemicals. According to the survey, almost 13 percent of Paraguayan children engaged in child labor in agriculture do not attend school. The survey estimates that 142,127 child laborers raise cattle throughout rural areas in Paraguay. Approximately 67,141 child laborers raising cattle are below the minimum age for employment in Paraguay. The survey indicates that more boys than girls are engaged in child labor in cattle raising. The release of this survey demonstrates the Government of Paraguay’s commitment to addressing child labor and its acknowledgement that data collection is vital to the design and implementation of sound policies and programs. 

There are reports that children, especially boys, are abducted and forced to herd cattle in South Sudan. Hundreds of abductions have been reported, particularly in communities in Jonglei and Eastern Equatoria states. The children are abducted when rival tribes or ethnic groups enter communities to steal cattle, as well as during other inter-ethnic or inter-tribal disputes; some of these children are enslaved to herd cattle.

There is evidence that children under the age of 18 raise cattle in Tanzania. Based on an analysis of the Tanzania Integrated Labour Force Survey 2020/21, it is estimated that 347,957 child laborers raise cattle. Children who work with livestock may be at risk of exposure to hazards including working long hours, being injured by the animals, and exposure to the elements, diseases, and chemicals such as disinfectants. The Government of Tanzania should be commended for conducting and publishing survey data that help to design and implement sound policies and programs to address child labor.

Swahili translation