It is estimated that almost 152 million children around the world are victims of forced labor and suffer from its cruel effects on their health, education, and overall wellbeing. According to the International Labour Organization, child labor is defined as work that “is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful to children; and/or interferes with their schooling by: depriving them of the opportunity to attend school; obliging them to leave school prematurely; or requiring them to attempt to combine school attendance with excessively long and heavy work.”
The majority of the countries with the worst cases of child labor are in Africa, where one-fifth of all children (or 72.1 million) are child laborers and child soldiers. Following Africa are Asia and the Pacifica with a combined 62 million children in forced labor.
As we continue to fight for an end to modern slavery, it is crucial to recognize the countries with the worst cases of child labor. The countries are, unsurprisingly, those with high rates of poverty and a history of armed conflict. Additionally, these countries largely lack laws prohibiting child labor, fail to enforce the few anti-trafficking laws they do have, and rarely hold traffickers accountable.
Below are five countries with the worst cases of child labor:
Eritrea
After fighting a 30-year war for independence, the population of Eritrea is plagued by poverty, violence, and an oppressive dictatorship. Eritrea has weak laws with even weaker enforcement to protect children from forced labor and dangerous work environments. Currently, there are no laws preventing the commercial sexual exploitation of children or the use of children for illicit activities. Additionally, Eritrea has no minimum age requirement for hazardous work. As a result, government officials have raided schools to force students into compulsory military service and farm work. Students who do not comply, along with their families, are reportedly threatened with torture, jail, and other punishments. While the government of Eritrea has worked with UNICEF to create a plan for holding traffickers accountable, reintegrating child laborers into families, and raising awareness of child labor and sexual exploitation, these efforts have largely been futile, as the government failed to report any investigations or convictions for human trafficking during 2020.
Somalia
Just half of all children between the ages of five and 14 attend school in Somalia thanks to its ongoing 30-year civil war and the harsh demands of the fishing, livestock, and agriculture industries. Children are also commonly found working in mines, crushing stones, and doing construction work, which can be extremely dangerous and can even cause life-threatening injuries. Like Eritrea, children are military trained and often forced to fight in wars and other conflicts. Shockingly, there are no laws that criminally prohibit child labor, the sexual exploitation of children, or the use of children in illicit activities. According to the U.S. Department of Labor in its 2019 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor report, “The Somali National Police remained understaffed and undertrained, and lacked the capacity to investigate or enforce laws on the worst forms of child labor… Research also found that child labor referral mechanisms only address children in armed conflict… In addition, there were reports that in 2019, the Somali National Police recruited and used at least 99 children in police activities.”
Myanmar (Burma)
One in every 11 children in Myanmar (Burma) is subjected to conditions of forced labor. Children work long hours manufacturing bricks, sewing garments, harvesting bamboo, and farming shrimp. However, it is the mining industry, especially for jade and rubies, that proves the most profitable for child traffickers. While Myanmar has enacted some laws to protect children, it does not prohibit child trafficking or the use of children in illicit activities. Additionally, the national armed forces of Myanmar reportedly force civilians, including at least 197 children in 2019, to work in agriculture, cleaning, and cooking.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has the third largest population of people living below the international poverty rate with 73% of all people living on less than $1.90 a day. This poverty fuels human trafficking, especially child trafficking. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is known for being rich in natural resources. It boasts vast deposits of industrial diamonds, gold, cobalt, and copper, as well as one of the largest forest reserves in Africa. With such plentiful metals and minerals, children are regularly used in mines due to their ability to fit into small spaces that adults cannot. These children are often subjected to debt bondage that they can never escape. Furthermore, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has a long history of war and conflict. Non-state armed groups frequently abduct and forcibly recruit children for armed conflict while the government generally turns a blind eye. Between January and September of 2018, non-state armed groups attacked 89 schools across the country and abducted students while the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo attacked three.
South Sudan
Sudan’s civil wars, poverty, and exceptionally low levels of education have made children vulnerable to human trafficking. Currently, it is estimated that 91.9% of the Sudanese population lives in multidimensional poverty, defined by the United Nations as suffering from an extremely low quality of health, education, and standard of living. This poverty compels many parents to sell their children to traffickers or force their children to work to bring in additional income. As a result, just 31.5% of all children between the ages of six and 14 were enrolled in school in 2019, whereas at least 45.6%of children between 10 and 14 work. Today, the effects of a lack of education are widespread, with just 27% of all Sudanese adults being literate. Children are used as laborers in a variety of sectors, but their work in cattle herding, brickmaking, and gold mining prove to be both the most prevalent and dangerous. Additionally, while South Sudan has signed the UN CRC Optional Protocol on Armed Conflict, which aims to eliminate the use of child soldiers, the government continues to recruit children for armed combat against opposition groups. Child marriage offers another major human rights concern in this area, with 38% of all women ages 20 through 49 in South Sudan being former child brides. 12% of those women were married before they turned 15.
Rachel is the founder and president of Stop Modern Day Slavery. She is a student at Columbia University with a passion for ending human trafficking and exploitation. Rachel founded Stop Modern Day Slavery in 2019 to publish educational articles and social media campaigns that increase both awareness for and understanding of human trafficking. Today, she leads SMDS’ team of college students in working with survivors of human trafficking, hosting speaker events and panels, and partnering with brands that use ethical labor practices. Rachel hopes to attend law school and help survivors of human trafficking navigate the U.S. legal system when she graduates.
Aliyah Sow is a 21-year old college senior majoring in psychology. Aliyah showcases her passions for psychology by mentoring children with mental health disorders and volunteering with psychologists in her targeted field. Aliyah aspires to become a clinical psychologist, which motivates her to bring awareness to childhood trauma and its effects on the mental and physical well being. Some of Aliyah’s favorite hobbies include reading and writing fiction novels.
Meet the Artist: Cindy Cuellar is a Mexican-American woman who is a strong advocate for intersectionality. She recently received a B.S. in journalism and a focus in photography. She has worked with the number one college newspaper in California, the Spartan Daily, for almost two years at San Jose State. Cindy started off as a staff writer and progressed her way to be a graphics editor. She loved each semester spent in the newsroom and has grown not only as a journalist but also as an illustrator.
