Child Labour in the Third World

Abstract

Over the past decade, child labour in the Third World has received increasing attention from many different organisations, including human-rights groups, development agencies, governments, trade unions, UN agencies and the private sector. There has also been greater consumer awareness of child labour and many multinational companies have been under pressure from consumers to ensure that their products have not been produced with child labour. Various actions have been taken by companies to eradicate or minimise child labour in supply chains. Some have undoubtedly had positive benefits for children, and others have been harmful to children. This chapter reviews these experiences and draws out lessons and recommendations for companies in responding to child labour. One of the basic premises of this paper, however, is that any attempt by businesses to eradicate child labour in their factories and supply chains must recognise the wider problem of child labour in the countries in which they work.