Press Release

U.S. Department of Labor Releases Reports on Child Labor

September 15, 2009

On September 10th, the U.S. Department of Labor (U.S. DOL) released three reports on child labor and/or forced labor in countries around the globe. The documents include the initial "List of Goods Produced by Child or Forced Labor" required by the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005 (TVPRA List), a proposed update to the "List of Products Produced by Forced or Indentured Child Labor" (EO List) pursuant to Executive Order 13126 of 1999, and the 8th annual "Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor" on the efforts of 141 countries and territories to combat exploitive child labor.

The TVPRA List aims to inform the public about 122 goods from 58 countries that the United States believes are produced, in violation of international standards, by forced labor, child labor, or both. The list cites the following industries in which child labor is used in Tanzania: cloves, coffee, gold, nile perch (fish), sisal, tanzanite, tea, and tobacco.

The goal of this report is to raise public awareness of child labor and forced labor and encourage stakeholders to work together to put an end to it. As U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis said, "it is my strong hope that consumers, firms, governments, labor unions and other stakeholders will use this information to translate their economic power into a force for good that ultimately will eliminate abusive child labor and forced labor."

The United States recognizes that the Government of Tanzania has increased its activities to combat child labor. In fact, the report “The Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor” identifies Tanzania as one of a small number of nations which stepped up its efforts to eliminate child labor during the course of the year.

To support Tanzania as it addresses child labor, the U.S. Government has partnered with government agencies and non-governmental organizations. For example, the U.S. Department of Labor provided USD 5.09 million to the Child Labor Education Initiative project, also known as TEACH, a program implemented by Winrock International in close collaboration with the Government of Tanzania. This four-year project aims to withdraw 5,145 children from, and prevent 5,270 children from being subjected to, exploitive child labor through the provision of educational services. The ILO-IPEC Timebound Program, also a U.S.-funded initiative, works with the Government of Tanzania to eliminate the worst forms of child labor in commercial agriculture, domestic service, mining, fishing, and prostitution in mainland Tanzania by 2010. Finally, the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training operates learning centers established by Education Development Center with financial support from the United States. These centers offer radio-based curriculum and conduct awareness-raising activities.

For more information please go to these websites:
"The Department of Labor’s List of Goods Produced by Child or Forced Labor":
http://www.dol.gov/ilab/programs/ocft/PDF/2009TVPRA.pdf
“The Department of Labor’s 2008 Findings on Worst Forms of Child Labor”:
http://www.dol.gov/ilab/programs/ocft/PDF/2008OCFTreport.pdf