Research, Policy, and Awareness Raising

The Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor, and Human Trafficking (OCFT) plays an active role in research and policy initiatives relating to international child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking. Pursuant to Congressional requests, OCFT has published annual international child labor reports since 1994. In 2002, OCFT's annual report became a legislative mandate under the Trade and Development Act. OCFT is also taking on a new research, monitoring, and reporting role as directed by the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005. In addition, OCFT carries out DOL's responsibilities under Executive Order No. 13126. Finally, OCFT has sponsored numerous public events relating to international child labor issues.

Trade and Development Act

In 2002, OCFT 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 Generalized System of Preferences, Caribbean Basin Initiative, Andean Trade Preference Act, and African Growth and Opportunities Act. The TDA also 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.

These findings are contained in DOL's Trade and Development Act Annual Reports. To access these and other OCFT reports, see the OCFT publications list.

Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act

On January 10, 2006, the President signed into law the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005 (TVPRA), H.R. 972. The TVPRA, in addition to reauthorizing the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, includes provisions aimed at preventing trafficking in persons in conjunction with post-conflict and humanitarian emergency assistance. The TVPRA also includes additional activities specifically intended for the Department of Labor (DOL) to monitor and combat forced labor and child labor. To learn more about these DOL mandates, see ILAB's TVPRA page.

Executive Order No. 13126

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]

Public Events

OCFT 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, Children in the Crossfire: Prevention and Rehabilitation of Child Soldiers conference, to heighten the global response to the exploitation of child soldiers.