ILAB Report gives consumers reason to shop responsibly

by Rhonda J Mangus | November 2, 2009 at 04:13 am

172 views | 57 Recommendations | 12 comments

A United States Department of Labor Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) report gives consumers reason to shop responsibly.

Released in September 2009, the report shows 122 goods in 58 countries that are produced with a significant incidence of child labor, forced child labor, or both. However, the research shows more goods made with child labor than with forced labor. Yet, the ILAB is "...reluctant to draw conclusions from this, as it could be the result of a greater availability of data on child labor, or the possibility that forced labor is better concealed by perpetrators." The report also shows that some of the worst offenders of forced labor are Boliva, Burma, China, India, Nepal, North Korea, and Pakistan.

The Department of Labor's List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor was submitted to US Vice-President Joseph Biden and Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi by US Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis. In the report's foreward, the Secretary of Labor states:

Most Americans and most consumers in the world market would not choose to purchase goods known to be produced or by exploited children or forced laborers - at any price. Likewise, most American companies would prefer that their global suppliers respect workers' and children's fundamental rights and provide their employers with working conditions that meet acceptable local standards. However, to translate these values and preferences into day-to-day purchasing decisions, firms and consumers need reliable information about the labor conditions under which goods are produced.

In 2005, Congress passed the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, directing the Secretary of Labor and the Department of Labor's Bureau of International Affairs (ILAB) to compile "a list of goods that ILAB has reason to believe were produced using forced labor or child labor" in order to provide consumers and firms with this type of information.

This report presents that list of goods. The research on which the list is based builds on fifteen years of investigation, anaylsis and reporting on these and related issues by ILAB. Since 1993, ILAB has published over 20 reports on exploitive labor practices worldwide, including our annual Department of Labor's Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor.

ILAB's Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor, and Human Trafficking has also provided more than $720 million in funding for projects to combat these practices in over 80 countries. By raising awareness of harmful labor practices and funding projects to prevent children and adults from engaging in the worst forms of labor exploitation, the Department has provided important tools that governments and other stakeholders can use to end these unacceptable practices.

The International Labor Organization estimates that over 12 million persons worldwide are working in some form of forced labor or bondage and that more than 200 million children are at work, many in hazardous forms of labor.

Read List of Goods Produced by Child or Forced Labor - Sorted by Country.

Read the entire report required by the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Acts of 2005 and 2008 titled, The Department of Labor's List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor.

Read previous United States Department of Labor Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor, and Human Trafficking (OCFT) Publications.

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albertacowpoke

at 04:21 on November 2nd, 2009

Good story Rhonda, the question is what will be done about it.

Rhonda J Mangus

at 04:32 on November 2nd, 2009

Thank you, albertacowpoke! "...the question is what will be done about it."

We all have to do our part, ACP:) That is, consumers have to shop responsibly:)! And, I think most of us are guilty of purchasing products made in these countries without even giving a second, let alone a first, thought to who is making these products. (I know I am guilty of it).

But I am definitely going to be more aware as a result of the findings of this report.

Evil World News and Weather Network

at 04:41 on November 2nd, 2009

Our government worked hard for decades making policies to send all of our industry over seas so we could have cheap labor (and junk products). We have no industry and we have no choice but to buy from China, Pakistan, and soon Indonesia will be a top supplier of JUNK for our shelves and landfills.

Did I mention we also have no jobs for the same reasons? Obama thinks massive debt will be the cure not new industry.

Rhonda J Mangus

at 04:44 on November 2nd, 2009

Evil World News and Weather Network, thank you for reading and commenting. Your points are well-taken.

Rhonda J Mangus

at 04:50 on November 2nd, 2009

Walmart appears to be a classic example, both in the US and abroad (China).

Paschen

at 05:19 on November 2nd, 2009

Some thing many have been advocating for 3 decades now and it seems to work to some extend in Europe especially with the Green movement and the left endorsing this seriously.

In Asia however, we are still far from having a social consumer conscience. Still it is changing, especially in the past five years some serious changes could be noticed, such as the move to organic foods and locally grown foods and trying to stay away from GMO food.

Other changes can be seen in less brand names being sold and a return to traditional closing. Sadly though the bulk part is still irresponsible and down right criminal from the consumer side of it.

The consumer has the power to change most things in this world just by the choices made. No excuses are valid for those bad choices that cause suffering or rather support it.

Rhonda J Mangus

at 05:41 on November 2nd, 2009

"The consumer [citizen/voter] has the power to change most things in this world just by the choices made."

Very true, Paschen! Thanks for reading, commenting and for the rec!

a211423

at 09:24 on November 2nd, 2009

Here are some resources for identifying companies that use child labor.

http://www.greenamericatoday.org/programs/sweatshops/sweatfreeproducts.cfm

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/172064/us-govt-report-exposes-goods-made-by-child-labor

Dept of Labor Report on companies that use forced or child labor

http://www.dol.gov/ilab/programs/ocft/PDF/2009TVPRA.pdf

Rhonda J Mangus

at 09:38 on November 2nd, 2009

Thank you for the additional resources, a211423! And thank you for the read and rec as well:)!

Yuliya Talmazan

at 10:01 on November 2nd, 2009

Thanks for this very interesting story, Rhonda.

Hugh Askew

at 10:23 on November 2nd, 2009

I'm not certain i know how i feel about child labor. Not that i approve, it seems a hideous thing. If the child's family depends on that income for survival, what is the solution? In many places, a child is expected to work alongside a parent, especially in agricultural areas.

Forced labor on the other hand is simply another form of slavery. China thinks that it is fine, they seem to use it a lot - especially for prisoners of conscience.