The International Child Labor Program (ICLP) is part of the U.S. Department of Labor's
Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB). The Program was created in 1993 in response
to a direct request from Congress to investigate and report on child labor around the
world.
As domestic and international concern about child labor has grown, the International
Child Labor Program's activities have significantly expanded. Today, these activities
include continued research on international child labor, supporting U.S. government
policy on international child labor issues, administering grants to organizations engaged
in efforts to eliminate child labor, and awareness raising about the child labor issue.
Research and Policy
The International Child Labor Program has published annual reports on international
child labor since 1994. These reports, mandated by Congress, explore various aspects of
international child labor issues and have been widely distributed in the United States
and abroad. In 2002, ICLP initiated another set of reports mandated by the Trade and
Development Act (TDA), signed into law on May 18, 2000. The TDA establishes a new eligibility
criterion concerning efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labor for receipt of
trade benefits under the GSP, CBTPA, and AGOA programs, and requires the Secretary of
Labor to issue findings on beneficiary country initiatives to implement their international
commitments to eliminate the worst forms of child labor.
ICLP has also convened public hearings and symposia to raise public awareness and
understanding of international child labor issues. From 1994 through 1998, public hearings
were held to gather information on international child labor practices. In 1995, a symposium
was held in Washington, D.C. that brought together international experts to discuss the
problem of child prostitution. In May 2000, the Department of Labor, in conjunction with
IPEC, sponsored "Advancing the
Global Campaign Against Child Labor: Progress Made and Future Actions", a conference
highlighting innovative approaches to eliminating child labor around the world.
In May 2003, United States Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao hosted representatives of
the world community as they gathered to participate in a U.S. Department of Labor conference
to heighten the global response to the exploitation of child soldiers. You can get more information
on the Children in the Crossfire: Prevention and Rehabilitation of Child Soldiers
conference from our Web site. ICLP has published periodic proceedings from these public
hearings, symposia and conferences, and other papers and publications and on child labor
and related issues. [Publications List]
Executive Order No.
13126 "Prohibition of Acquisition of Products Produced by Forced or
Indentured Child Labor", signed on June 12, 1999, prohibits federal agencies
from buying products that have been made with forced or indentured child labor.
The Department of Labor, in consultation and cooperation with the Department of
the Treasury and the Department of State, developed a list of products,
identified by country of origin, which they believe might have been made with
forced or indentured child labor. This list is updated periodically based on
new information and according to the
Procedural
Guidelines for the Maintenance of the List of Products.
[List of Products]
ICLP Technical Assistance
The International Child Labor Program administers
US Department of Labor grants and contracts to remove children from
exploitative work, improve access to basic education for child laborers, and
raise awareness about child labor worldwide. ICLP's technical assistance
programs fall into three categories support for the International Program
on the Elimination of Child Labor(ILO/IPEC); the Child Labor Education Initiative; and domestic awareness
raising.
ICLP and
the International Program on the Elimination of Child Labor
- Since fiscal year 1995, the U.S. Department of Labor's International Child Labor Program
received appropriations of $330 million for the International Labor Organization's
International Program on the Elimination of Child Labor for technical cooperation projects
in the area of international child labor. These funds are used to support a wide range of
child labor projects and activities in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the
Caribbean. [ILO-IPEC Programs]
Education Initiative
(EI)
- In 2001, U.S. Department of Labor's International Child Labor Program launched the
Child Labor Education Initiative (EI) to
support international efforts to eliminate child labor through programs that
will improve access to basic education in international areas with a high rate
of abusive and exploitative child labor. Since fiscal year 2001, the
appropriations to the Bureau of International Labor Affairs for this program
have included $205 million. This funding will be used to strengthen DOL's
existing child labor elimination strategies and complement ongoing
international and national efforts to reduce child labor by providing resources
to get child laborers into school and keep them there.
[New Grant Opportunities]
Awareness
Raising
- Since 1999, the International Child Labor
Program has awarded a limited number of grants to domestic organizations to
increase public awareness in the United States about international child labor.
These grants support research and publication of factual
information about the use of child labor and innovative initiatives to
eliminate child labor. The grants also promote public dialogue about best
practices in addressing child labor around the world.