Childhoods are wasted in mind-numbing subsistence-level labor that produces minimal economic value, while leaching away the creativity and potential of future workers.

Denial and indifference have given way to acknowledgement, outrage, and a readiness to tackle the problem effectively.

Countries must step up law enforcement to rescue child slaves and deter traffickers.

The U.S. Congress has taken actions to penalize countries that engage in the worst forms of child labor and to rehabilitate the young victims of such practices.

An effective policy for ending child labor can be crafted only within the context of a country’s overall development strategy.