Brazil Child Labor

Research from Brazil highlights risks to child workers

Over 170 countries have committed themselves to tackling the problem “as a matter of urgency” by ratifying the ILO’s ‘Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention’. Such commitment has already led to ‘real success’ being made in removing younger children and girls from hazardous employment. However, for older children (15-17 years) there has been a rise of 20 per cent (between 2004-2008) in the number performing hazardous work and the ILO is calling for renewed action. The organisation wants to see all children in school until the minimum age of employment, the introduction of specific safeguards for those between the minimum work age and 18 years, and legal frameworks for action to be taken where children are engaged in hazardous work.

In Latin America, an estimated 9.5 million children are engaged in hazardous work. Brazil is one of a few countries leading the way in collecting data on these young workers. Through use of an innovative national surveillance system, Brazil has been documenting cases of illness or injury to those under 18 years of age. In a 3-year period (2007-2009), nearly 2,700 workplace injuries or illnesses among young people were documented. Brazil was one of the first countries to collect data on child labour, beginning in the early 1990s. The country’s ‘Programa de Erradicação do Trabalho Infantil’ (PETI) was established to remove children from “dangerous, unhealthy, degrading or otherwise distressing working conditions”. Nationwide, health workers have been trained to spot work-related illnesses and injuries which identify children involved in hazardous work.

Though injuries and illnesses occur in a range of sectors, hazardous work is highest in agriculture (farming, forestry and fishing). Studies show that children working in agriculture are 5 times more likely to be seriously injured than child labourers in other industries. And with developing countries rapidly adopting modern farming techniques, there is growing concern about children working with pesticides. Often, there is little training in the use of chemicals and product warning labels may not be written in the local language. Research from Brazil is helping to provide evidence of how the neurological development of young people can be affected by exposure to pesticides. Exposure can damage the nervous system causing lowered intelligence and behavioural abnormalities later in life. The ILO is therefore calling for health and safety guidelines which are specific to young people and acknowledge the dangers inherent in smaller levels of exposure to young developing bodies.

International Practices: Understanding Brazil's Child Labor ...

The use of child laborers in the United States might seem shocking but for some foreign countries child laborers have long been a part of the economic and business world. The biggest example of a country that relies upon child laborers to keep afloat is that of Brazil. Brazil relies heavily upon children and teens to work in the textile industry and the agricultural industry. While many of the United States businesses do not employee children in their Brazil departments they could be supporting or using companies that do. The biggest issue to understand regarding child labor and Brazil is that it is considered a social norm. Many families in the area cannot afford to buy the necessary items they need without the help and assistance of their children working in the fields or factory. Even though Brazil has improved living conditions for a number of years, there are still millions of people who rely upon their children to help bring in a form of income. While it is considered a social norm Brazil succumbed to international pressure to reduce the number of child laborers that it used. Instead it implemented school programs and scholarships to entice children to attend school and not work in the fields. There were also laws put on the books that prevent companies from hiring young children in the field and factories. However, the laws do allow teens to still work in these conditions but there is a requirement that they have good working conditions and are provided a fair wage.

The world of child labor, an historical and regional survey

Ending Abusive Child Labor

Household income as a determinant of child labor and school enrollment in Brazil, evidence from a social security reform

Child labor, a global view

The Department of Labor's 2001 findings on the worst forms of child labor : Trade and Development Act of 2000.