Approaches to Reducing the Use of Forced or Child Labor : Summary of a Workshop on Assessing Practice

Globally, child labor and forced labor are widespread and complex problems. They are conceptually different phenomena, requiring different policy responses, though they may also overlap in practice. The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) was designed to reduce the use of child and forced labor in the production of goods consumed in the United States. The Act was reauthorized in 2003, 2005, and 2008. In response to provisions of TVPA, the the Bureau of International Labor Affairs requested that the National Research Council organize a two-day workshop. The workshop, summarized in this volume, discusses methods for identifying and organizing a standard set of practices that will reduce the likelihood that persons will use forced labor or child labor to produce goods, with a focus on business and governmental practices. Deals with criteria for identifying good practices to reduce the use of child and forced labor in supply chains that produce goods imported into the United States. Assesses the social, cultural, economic and governmental context of the business practices of multinational enterprises involved in the production of imports and considers child labor issues especially in the cocoa production and clothing industry Introduction Scope of the workshop Assessing the context of child and forced labor Illustrative business practices Criteria Wrap-up.