Child labour (CL) in the primary production of sugarcane: summary of - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Child labour (CL) in the primary production of sugarcane: summary of CL-related findings Ergon Associates ILO Child Labour Platform 2017

2 Short summary contents 1 Objectives of the study 2 Key findings – child labour issues 3 What works in CL reduction? 4 Recommendations

Objectives of the study 3 Eviden ence ce Needs-base ased d Tools s for ILO to Progre ress ss agains nst t recomme mendati ndations ons engage with th based sed CL violati ations ns / for ILO busi sine ness ss / o other r ot other r FPRW infor orma mati tion on partne tners Participatory approach Desk research > interviews with companies > research report

Key findings 4 ( child labour only in this summary) Labour bour issues ues findings dings ... ... … and progress • Overall labour force characteristics • Factors of success • Sample initiatives to • Child labour: address CL (and other — Nature and extent of child labour decent work issues) — Worst forms of child labour — Causes of child labour • Beyond child labour: industrial relations, forced labour, other decent work deficits (covered in report but not this summary)

Labour force characteristics 5 • Major r rur ural emplo loyer er : ≈ 100 million Sugarcane production systems and labour force characteristics for top five producers rural livelihoods Employm oymen ent t Prevalen ent t Average ge in suga gar Labou our characte cteristi istics cs prod oducti tion on farm size sector tor • Cul ultivati tion on is fragme ment nted system stem (million on) — Different systems in different countries Large — Seasonal workforce with likelihood of 13,110 Brazil il mechanised 1.1 Contract labour ha farms (60-70%) high informality — Including migrants, resulting in limited Seasonal labour Small-medium China 0.27 ha 40 traceability farms Migrant labour (foreign) Seasonal and casual labour • Labour bour arrangem ngements nts depen pend d on Small-medium India ia 1-4 ha 50+ Migrant labour farms degree gree of mechani chanisa sati tion on (domestic) Family labour — Mechanisation shaped by Small-medium geography/development Thail iland 9 ha 1 - farms Small-medium Pakista istan - 4.2 Seasonal labour farms

Labour force characteristics 6

Nature and extent of child labour 7 • Risk k depends nds on product ction on context xt — non-mechanised + small-medium primary producers — mostly unpaid family work but also on commercial plantations • Pa Paucit ity of data on nature e and exten ent t of CL global ally — few sugarcane CL surveys in producing countries — recent surveys in Cambodia + India do not • Common characteristics capture scale of issue Age: 10+ (5-17; cane cutters at older end of scale) — insufficient gender disaggregation of data Family background: landless migrants or small farm owners, members of ethnic minority and / or • CL reported ed in 17 sugar ar-pr prod oduci ucing ng count ntrie ies s socially disadvantaged group (US DoL DoL 2017) Sex: typically more boys especially in harvesting, gender segregation of activities — including major exporters (Thailand, India, Mexico, Place of work: family farm or commercial Colombia, Philippines, Paraguay, Vietnam, plantation Cambodia) Employment type: informal and seasonal

8 Worst forms of child labour • Children en are invol olved ed in hazar ardous dous Sugarcane cultivation cycle tasks and risks of hazardous work activiti ivities es — type of work undertaken (crop protection, manual harvesting – typically older boys) Soil & sett — conditions in which it is performed preparation • Children’s living ng and working ng condit ition ions s are High risk of poor hazardous child Harvesting Planting labour: labour — health and safety intensive / non- mechanical cane — migrant camps cutting — long hours (8-10 hrs per day / up to 35 hrs / week) Fertilizer • Anecd cdotal eviden ence ce of force ced d labour our application & Irrigation — little information on involuntary child labour crop protection but anecdotal evidence of debt bondage in India / Pakistan Risk of hazardous child labour (C182): pesticide application

Causes of child labour in sugar 9 Push factors Pull factors Rural poverty = most significant driver. Rural poverty Demand for unskilled labour Industry often requires unskilled workers, informally employed through labour intermediaries, increasing the likelihood of children’s exploitation. Lack of availability and quality of Labour cost-efficiency education RISK OF CHILD Low awareness and cultural norms Unpaid family work LABOUR Lack of decent work opportunities for Context speci cific c drivers s also Informal and seasonal work young people exist st – eg in Mexico/El Salvador, minors’ sugarcane work considered preferable to idleness + risk of recruitment by gangs Weak regulatory and enforcement Other socio-economic factors framework

10 Factors in successful child labour reduction Comprehensive integrated government-led Broader response economic development Political will & mechanisation Addressing Increased supply and international demand side scrutiny factors Factors ors of of succ ucces ess Social Complying partners with trade collaboration rules Industry Collaboration buy-in: across company and different trade stakeholders association level Commercial Understanding appeal beneficiaries’ (eg needs productivity)

11 Sample industry-led initiatives Produce ucer r network rks s – eg eg Fundazuca ucar Buye yers s – eg eg The Coca Cola Compa mpany y (TCCC) • Charitable arm El Salvador’s sugarcane industry • A member of Bonsucro and Child Labour Platform. association Commissioned 28 in-depth country studies re child labour • • Internationally recognised for efforts in cutting child in sugar supply chain – publicly available. labour in the sector • Fallen by 93% since 2004 Number r of social progra ramme mes s to combat t child labour r in around 20 countr tries s worldwide: Fundazuca ucar efforts ts include: : - El Salvador, Mexico, Philippines, Honduras - zero tolerance policy on child labour - education initiatives - advocacy and awareness raising - training manuals - community education programmes - good practice guidelines. - training producers and mill staff - providing external monitoring + best practice guide. Trade ders – eg eg Olam Multi-sta takeholde der initiati tive ves - Bonsucro Trader proactive in addressing decent work • • Launched 2007, Bonsucro = global multi-stakeholder • Member of Fair Labour Association since 2012 initiative aiming to ensure responsible sugarcane production • Currently assesses some of its supply chains other • Most prominent sectoral initiative - over 450 members than sugarcane. Includes sugar’s major producers, traders and buyers • It tackles child labour ur through: ugh: Central mechani nism: m: - training farmers on good labour practices - mill certification system evaluating sustainability, social - working to establish schools with local governments impact and product traceability - collaborating with local NGOs - has incentivized member commitments to work towards - providing adult literacy courses to demonstrate value producers to commit to buying 100% ‘sustainable’ sugar. of education to workers.

12 Sample government-led/collaborative initiatives Brazil • Comprehensive, multi-pronged, and long-term approach • Tackled supply and demand sides of child labour • Social programmes – PETI; Bolsa Familia • Increased inspection and enforcement – mobile inspection units • Government-led; strong political will. El Salvador • ILO IPEC Time-Bound Programme • Collaboration: IPEC, government, sugar industry • Government capacity building, improved monitoring & evaluation, awareness-raising • Education & vocational training; teacher training • Community-led monitoring • Political will and industry buy-in. Mexico – PAJA Programme • PAJA – Social Protection Programme for Migrant Agricultural Workers ( Jornaleros ) • Jornaleros – highest rate of child labour • Special education services for migrants during harvest • Cash incentives for children’s school attendance • Targeted initiative for hard-to-reach groups.

13 Summary of recommendations to ILO-hosted Child Labour Platform Do not replicate, collaborate: eg map where sugarcane production overlaps with other crops Build local buy-in, including into existing activity: eg with local mills and outgrower communities Leverage the position of traders: identify which are active on decent work in sugarcane Aim to reach high-risk areas currently receiving insufficient attention Share/produce tools on decent work: workshops, awareness campaigns, training manuals Commission/support public or shared research on decent work deficits in highest risk sugarcane producing areas.