2019 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor: Ecuador

 

In 2019, Ecuador made a significant advancement in efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labor. To improve coordination between ministries, the Ministry of Economic and Social Inclusion implemented an inter-agency agreement on joint inspections and the government put into effect the Inter-Institutional Action Protocol for the Comprehensive Care and Protection of Victims of Trafficking in Persons. The Ministry of Labor also upgraded its Unified System of Registration of Child Labor to make it easier to report cases and the government adopted the National Action Plan Against Trafficking in Persons. In addition, the government published the results of a study that included information on child labor and launched the Palma Futuro project to combat child labor and forced labor in the palm oil sector. However, children in Ecuador engage in the worst forms of child labor, including in commercial sexual exploitation, sometimes as a result of human trafficking. Children also perform dangerous tasks in mining. The labor inspectorate continues to lack sufficient resources and children continue to face barriers to education, especially in rural areas.

I. Prevalence and Sectoral Distribution of Child Labor

Children in Ecuador engage in the worst forms of child labor, including in commercial sexual exploitation, sometimes as a result of human trafficking. Children also perform dangerous tasks in agriculture. (1-3) Table 1 provides key indicators on children's work and education in Ecuador.

Table 1. Statistics on Children’s Work and Education

Children

Age

Percent

Working (% and population)

5 to 14

4.9 (168,530)

Working children by sector

5 to 14

 

Agriculture

 

82.3

Industry

 

3.2

Services

 

14.6

Attending School (%)

5 to 14

97.3

Combining Work and School (%)

7 to 14

5.6

Primary Completion Rate (%)

 

104.4

Source for primary completion rate: Data from 2018, published by UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2020. (4)
Source for all other data: International Labor Organization's Analysis of Statistics from Encuesta Nacional de Empleo, Desempleo y Subempleo (ENEMDU), 2016. (5)

Although the National Council for Inter-generational Equity (CNII) worked closely with the Ministry of Economic and Social Inclusion (MIES) to complete a partial study on child labor that was published in early 2019, the government has not conducted a comprehensive nationwide child labor survey since 2012. Both government and civil society agree that a lack of updated statistics hampers efforts in eradicating child labor. (3,6)

Based on a review of available information, Table 2 provides an overview of children's work by sector and activity.

Table 2. Overview of Children's Work by Sector and Activity

Sector/Industry

Activity

Agriculture

Production of bananas, palm oil, and flowers, including the use of chemical products† and machetes† (3,7-9)

 

Fishing† (3,7,8)

 

Hazardous work in the carving† and threading† of abacá fiber (3,10)

Industry

Gold mining† and small-scale mining† (2,3)

 

Production of bricks† (3,11,12)

 

Construction,† including loading construction materials, mixing materials to make concrete, and brickwork (3,8,11,13)

Services

Domestic work† (3,7,14,15)

 

Street work, including begging, shoe shining, selling newspapers, and vending (3,7,16-18)

Categorical Worst Forms of Child Labor‡

Commercial sexual exploitation, sometimes as a result of human trafficking (2,3,16,19)

 

Use in illicit activities, including drug trafficking and robbery (3,6,19-21)

 

Recruitment of children by Colombian non-state armed groups for use in armed conflict (2,19)

 

Use in the production of pornography (3,19,22)

 

Forced labor in banana and palm plantations, floriculture, fishing, mining; and in domestic work, street vending, and begging, each sometimes as a result of human trafficking (2,3,6,19,23,24)

† Determined by national law or regulation as hazardous and, as such, relevant to Article 3(d) of ILO C. 182.
‡ Child labor understood as the worst forms of child labor per se under Article 3(a)–(c) of ILO C. 182.

Civil society and government sources reported incidences of Peruvian adolescents being recruited under false promises of employment into forced labor in illegal mines in Ecuador. (2,21,22) Migrant and refugee children from Colombia and Venezuela are particularly vulnerable to street work, including forced begging. They are also vulnerable to exploitative labor practices in some parts of the fishing sector in the coastal region and artisanal mining in southern Ecuador and in the northern province of Imbabura. (2,3, 16, 19) Indigenous children between the ages of 6 and 10 from the highlands are trafficked for forced begging in Guayaquil, Quito, and Rumiñahui, initially under the false promises of employment. (3,9,15) Migrant and indigenous children are also vulnerable to labor trafficking in domestic servitude. (2,3,19)

Migrant and refugee children from other Latin American countries, girls from poor families, and indigenous and Afro-Ecuadorian girls are used in commercial sexual exploitation. (3) Commercial sexual exploitation in Ecuador also occurs near illegal mining sites. (3,13,15) Venezuelan, Colombian, and Peruvian girls are trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation in Ecuador. (3,16) Networks for commercial sexual exploitation also recruit children from schools, and, increasingly through social media platforms that encourage children to recruit their friends and classmates. (19,22) On Ecuador's northern border, children are forcibly recruited to engage in drug trafficking and robbery. (3)

Despite education being free in Ecuador, children face barriers to accessing education, including having to pay for uniforms and textbooks, lack of space and teachers, teen pregnancy, and lack of transportation for children who must attend schools far from their homes. (2,3,12) The lack of schools in rural areas specifically affects indigenous and refugee children, who must travel long distances to attend school. (2) Many indigenous children abandon school early, both in rural and urban areas. (8,25) International humanitarian organizations and local government officials reported that, in practice, schools sometimes denied children of refugees and migrants access to education. (3) According to government data as of March 31, there were 363,018 Venezuelans residing in Ecuador, with more than 45,000 Venezuelan refugee and migrant children registered for school during the 2019-2020 school year. Reports indicate that less than half of all school-aged Venezuelan children in Ecuador are attending school. (2,26)

II. Legal Framework for Child Labor

Ecuador has ratified all key international conventions concerning child labor (Table 3).

Table 3. Ratification of International Conventions on Child Labor

Convention

Ratification

ILO C. 138, Minimum Age

ILO C. 182, Worst Forms of Child Labor

UN CRC

UN CRC Optional Protocol on Armed Conflict

UN CRC Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography

Palermo Protocol on Trafficking in Persons

The government's laws and regulations are in line with relevant international standards (Table 4).

Table 4. Laws and Regulations on Child Labor

Standard

Meets International Standards

Age

Legislation

Minimum Age for Work

Yes

15

Article 46 of the Constitution; Article 82 of the Childhood and Adolescence Code (12,27)

Minimum Age for Hazardous Work

Yes

18

Article 87 of the Childhood and Adolescence Code (27)

Identification of Hazardous Occupations or Activities Prohibited for Children

Yes

 

Articles 5, 6, and 8 of Resolution No. 016 of 2008; Article 5 of Ministerial Accord MDT–2015–0131 (28,29)

Prohibition of Forced Labor

Yes

 

Articles 82, 91, 105, and 213 of the Integral Penal Code (30)

Prohibition of Child Trafficking

Yes

 

Articles 47 and 91 of the Integral Penal Code; Article 117 of the Organic Law on Human Mobility (30,31)

Prohibition of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children

Yes

 

Articles 91 and 100–104 of the Integral Penal Code (30)

Prohibition of Using Children in Illicit Activities

Yes

 

Articles 47, 219, and 220 of the Integral Penal Code (30)

Minimum Age for Voluntary State Military Recruitment

Yes

18

Article 57 of the Childhood and Adolescence Code; Article 161 of the Constitution (12,27)

Prohibition of Compulsory Recruitment of Children by (State) Military

N/A*

   

Prohibition of Military Recruitment by Non-state Armed Groups

Yes

 

Article 127 of the Penal Code; Article 57 of the Childhood and Adolescence Code; Article 161 of the Constitution (12,27,30)

Compulsory Education Age

Yes

15

Article 38 of the Organic Intercultural Education Law (32)

Free Public Education

Yes

 

Article 4 of the Organic Intercultural Education Law; Chapter 5, Article 28 of the Constitution (12,32)

* No conscription (12)

III. Enforcement of Laws on Child Labor

The government has established institutional mechanisms for the enforcement of laws and regulations on child labor (Table 5). However, gaps exist within the operations of the Ministry of Labor that may hinder adequate enforcement of their child labor laws.

Table 5. Agencies Responsible for Child Labor Law Enforcement

Organization/Agency

Role

Ministry of Labor (MOL)

Monitors child labor, conducts labor inspections at worksites, enforces child labor laws in the formal sector, administers sanctions and collects fines from companies found using child labor, and provides technical assistance to local governments on child labor. (3) Using the Unified System of Registration of Child Labor (SURTI), collects information on child laborers and refers children to appropriate government services. (3)

Ministry of Social and Economic Inclusion (MIES), Office of Special Protection to Vulnerable Population

Conducts routine inspections in the informal sector for child labor and provides remediation services to child laborers and their families. (2,3) Through its Office of Special Protection, maintains a national anti-child labor program involving coordination with civil society organizations and local governments. (3) In 2019, MIES continued to provide services to children found in child labor and collaborated at the municipal level with civil society to provide activities for children to prevent child labor. (3,33) MIES also launched a program for homeless people and opened two shelters in Quito. (23)

Attorney General's Office (AGO)

Enforces criminal laws against child labor, hazardous child labor, commercial sexual exploitation, and human trafficking. (2,34,35) The AGO's Specialized Victim Witness Protection Program provides immediate support and shelter to victims and witnesses willing to press charges and testify against their abusers and coordinates referrals for further assistance with other government agencies. (2)

Ministry of Government

Oversees and evaluates all police actions, including the National Police Unit for Crimes against Children and Adolescents (DINAPEN). (2,21) DINAPEN investigates all crimes against children, including abuse, sexual exploitation, sex tourism, smuggling, kidnapping, exploitative child labor, and forced labor. (2,36) DINAPEN's National Investigative Unit against Trafficking in Persons and Illicit Smuggling of Migrants also investigates child trafficking cases, assists victims, and arrests traffickers. (37)

Office of the Prosecutor

Tries cases related to the worst forms of child labor. (3)

Labor Law Enforcement

In 2019, labor law enforcement agencies in Ecuador took actions to combat child labor (Table 6). However, gaps exist within the operations of the MOL that may hinder adequate labor law enforcement, including human resource allocation.

Table 6. Labor Law Enforcement Efforts Related to Child Labor

Overview of Labor Law Enforcement

2018

2019

Labor Inspectorate Funding

Unknown

$4,171,420 (3)

Number of Labor Inspectors

249 (2)

214 (3)

Inspectorate Authorized to Assess Penalties

Yes (2)

Yes (38)

Initial Training for New Labor Inspectors

Yes (2)

Yes (3)

Training on New Laws Related to Child Labor

Yes (2)

N/A (3)

Refresher Courses Provided

Yes (2)

No (3)

Number of Labor Inspections Conducted

15,605 (2)

25,280 (3)

Number Conducted at Worksite

15,605 (2)

25,280 (3)

Number of Child Labor Violations Found

72 (2)

53 (3)

Number of Child Labor Violations for Which Penalties Were Imposed

23 (2)

4 (3)

Number of Child Labor Penalties Imposed that Were Collected

107(2)

7 (3)

Routine Inspections Conducted

Yes (2)

Yes (3)

Routine Inspections Targeted

Yes (2)

Yes (3)

Unannounced Inspections Permitted

Yes (2)

Yes (38)

Unannounced Inspections Conducted

Yes (2)

Yes (3)

Complaint Mechanism Exists

Yes (2)

Yes (3)

Reciprocal Referral Mechanism Exists Between Labor Authorities and Social Services

Yes (2)

Yes (3)

In 2019, the MOL upgraded its Unified System of Registration of Child Labor (SURTI) to make it easier for government agencies and local authorities to use. (3) However, the government does not publish information from the SURTI system. (2,22) In response to concerns by the Ombudsman's office in November 2018 about health risks for families living on banana plantations exposed to chemicals and pesticides, the MOL increased inspections in banana producing provinces to monitor the safety of affected families. (3) However, research indicates that inspectors' coverage of the agricultural sector is insufficient, even though most children work in this sector. (2) During the reporting period, MIES assisted approximately 10,870 children vulnerable to child labor and removed 13 children from child labor as a result of inspections. MIES also implemented an inter-agency agreement to facilitate coordination between agencies on joint inspections. (3)

The number of labor inspectors is likely insufficient for the size of Ecuador's workforce, which includes over 8 million workers. According to the ILO's recommendation of 1 inspector for every 15,000 workers in developing economies, Ecuador would employ about 534 labor inspectors. (3,39,40) MOL also reported that the labor inspectorate lacked the necessary resources to fulfill its mandate, such as transportation and equipment. (3) Furthermore, inspectors do not have sufficient knowledge of child labor laws and lack training on identifying victims of trafficking in persons. (3,19,22) According to the MOL, Ecuador's labor inspectors focus primarily on formal sector employment, but also conducted random and referred inspections in 2019 in the informal sector where large numbers of children work. (3,26) Although Ecuadorian laws and regulations governing child labor are comprehensive, those regarding hazardous work are not enforced equally in rural areas and family-run businesses. (2,41)

Criminal Law Enforcement

In 2019, criminal law enforcement agencies in Ecuador took actions to combat child labor (Table 7). However, gaps exist within the operations of the criminal enforcement agencies that may hinder adequate criminal law enforcement, including a lack of training for criminal investigators on the worst forms of child labor.

Table 7. Criminal Law Enforcement Efforts Related to Child Labor

Overview of Criminal Law Enforcement

2018

2019

Initial Training for New Criminal Investigators

Yes (2)

Yes (3)

Training on New Laws Related to the Worst Forms of Child Labor

Yes (2)

N/A (3)

Refresher Courses Provided

Yes (2)

Yes (3)

Number of Investigations

5 (2)

172 (3)

Number of Violations Found

2 (2)

Unknown (3)

Number of Prosecutions Initiated

5 (2)

103 (3)

Number of Convictions

2 (2)

Unknown (3)

Imposed Penalties for Violations Related to The Worst Forms of Child Labor

Yes (2)

Yes (3)

Reciprocal Referral Mechanism Exists Between Criminal Authorities and Social Services

Yes (2)

Yes (3)

In 2019, the government reported nine individuals were convicted for human trafficking, including one convicted of sexual exploitation and child pornography. (37) Between January and November, 25 children and adolescents received support from the Attorney General Office's (AGO) Specialized Victim Witness Protection Program. Seven of these cases related to the use and trafficking of illegal substances, six for trafficking in persons, six for forced prostitution or sexual exploitation, four for migrant smuggling, one for forced begging, and one for commercial child pornography. (3) During the reporting period, the National Investigative Unit against Trafficking in Persons and Illicit Smuggling of Migrants' operational staff increased from 32 to 49 police officers. The Ministry of Government reported that in February 2019, 30 police officers received training on improving anti-trafficking protection for children and adolescents. (37)

Although investigators in four provinces received training on child exploitation and human trafficking during the reporting period, the AGO noted that training was insufficient compared to the number of employees at each of the local and provincial offices. (3) Civil society reports that the National Investigative Unit and the National Police Unit for Crimes against Children and Adolescents (DINAPEN) lack resources to adequately investigate trafficking in persons cases. (37) The government did not provide information on the exact number of violations found and convictions made for the worst forms of child labor in 2019 for inclusion in this report. (26)

A reciprocal referral mechanism exists between law enforcement and social services for victims of trafficking; however, civil society reports that the mechanism is at times ad hoc. (3) Shelters serve only girls who have been victims of sex trafficking. There are no specialized shelters for boys or girls who have been victims of labor trafficking unrelated to sex. (19,20,42) Although the MIES will generally assign child victims to shelters depending on space availability, the National Investigative Unit and MIES officials cite a lack of shelters in many provinces as a primary constraint in victim assistance. (2,3,19,36,43)

IV. Coordination of Government Efforts on Child Labor

The government has established mechanisms to coordinate its efforts to address child labor (Table 8). However, gaps exist that hinder the effective coordination of efforts to address child labor, including for the provision of social services for victims of the worst forms of child labor.

Table 8. Key Mechanisms to Coordinate Government Efforts on Child Labor

Coordinating Body

Role & Description

Inter-Institutional Committee for the Eradication of Child Labor

Coordinates government efforts to combat child labor. Includes participation from MOL, DINAPEN, AGO, and MIES. (2,21) Regional inter-agency sub-committees on children and adolescence represent local governments on the committee. (3) The committee did not convene in 2019. During the reporting period, authorization for the committee's continuation was awaiting approval from the government. (3)

Inter-Institutional Coordinating Committee for the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons and Illicit Traffic in Migrants

Coordinates government efforts to combat human trafficking, including child trafficking. Established as part of the National Plan to Combat Human Trafficking, Sexual and Labor Exploitation, and Other Forms of Exploitation. (35) Met periodically during the reporting period to coordinate government anti-trafficking efforts, including those related to children, and began implementing an updated National Plan to Combat Trafficking in Persons. (3) The committee also held a 2-day conference in May to share best practices with their Colombian counterparts and establish an action plan to address human trafficking on their shared border. (37)

Technical Secretariat for the Lifetime Plan

Convenes government ministries to discuss issues, including child labor. (44) During the reporting period, the Secretariat continued to send out technical brigades to remote areas in all provinces to assist vulnerable populations, providing them with medical check-ups, and referring cases to MIES when cases of child labor were identified. (3)

National Council for Inter-generational Equity (CNII)

Coordinates inter-agency efforts to protect vulnerable populations, including children. Local autonomous governments also participate in coordinating mechanisms to combat child labor and implement the guidelines provided by CNII and are responsible for ensuring the correct application of norms related to child labor. (44) In June 2019, the Council and MIES released a partial study on child labor that was completed in October 2018, and government agencies responded to child labor trends found in the study. (3) CNII officials also met with provincial and city officials to lobby in favor of bills and policies relevant to the protection of children. (3) In 2019, local governments continued to monitor and coordinate efforts on child labor conditions through technical working groups. (3)

Inter-Agency Sub-Committee for the Eradication of Child Labor (Mesa Interinstitucional de Erradicación del Trabajo Infantil)

Coordinates regional efforts to address child labor. (45) Participants include MIES; regional councils of Childhood and Adolescence; ministries of Education, Labor, and Interior; DINAPEN; and AGO. (43,45) In September 2019, the inter-agency roundtable held a session in Cuenca with participation from MOL, Ministry of Public Health, MIES, and DINAPEN to address identified cases of child labor and determine actions for intervention. (46)

In 2019, the AGO hosted a bi-national workshop with the Government of Colombia to unite efforts in addressing trafficking in persons, highlighting the importance of coordination on operations at the shared border. (47) In November 2019, the Ecuadorian government put into effect the Inter-Institutional Action Protocol for the Comprehensive Care and Protection of Victims of Trafficking in Persons, which was drafted in 2018. The protocol enhances government efforts by providing a set process for inter-agency coordination of services for victims of trafficking and was used to provide protection and assistance to victims throughout the reporting period. (37,48,49)

Coordination between ministries providing social services has improved in recent years, but the government continues having difficulties ensuring that some children rescued from working in the informal sector receive adequate social assistance.(26,50)

V. Government Policies on Child Labor

The government has established policies related to child labor (Table 9). However, policy gaps exist that hinder efforts to address child labor, including the approval of the national action plan on child labor.

Table 9. Key Policies Related to Child Labor

Policy

Description

National Plan to Eradicate Child Labor (PETI) (2015–2017)

Establishes a strategy to eradicate child labor in Ecuador by 2021 and prevent hazardous child labor in agriculture, manufacturing, construction, and mining. Led by MOL, the plan operates under the National Plan for Good Living. (2,8,51) During the reporting period, the government continued to operate inspections under this national plan while awaiting executive approval of a new 3-year national plan to eradicate child labor, which is reportedly needed to improve inter-agency coordination. (3) On World Day against Child Labor on June 12, 2019, over 400 people, including mayors and national authorities, met to re-commit themselves to coordinated actions under the plan, including providing services for children involved in dangerous work and strengthening work on child labor at the local municipality level. (52) The government also held training and awareness workshops on child labor for parents, and events at which children received educational kits to encourage their continued school attendance and organized a forum in Guayaquil on protected adolescent work and applicable laws in which 230 students participated. (53,54) Although implemented by MOL as a pilot initiative, PETI operates without a permanent budget guaranteeing a dedicated agency in charge of efforts to combat child labor. (3)

National Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Persons 2019–2030†

Aims to prevent, investigate, and impose legal sanctions against human trafficking with a focus on human rights, mobility, and gender, as the majority of victims in Ecuador are women. Launched in December of 2019, with U.S.-funded support by the IOM, it is the government's first multi-sectoral plan on trafficking that establishes goals for every public sector institution to address human trafficking. (55-57)

Lifetime Plan (Plan Toda Una Vida) (2017–2021)

Aims to support vulnerable populations from birth to advanced age through a series of social welfare programs. Aims to reduce child labor of children ages 5 to 14 to 2.7 percent by 2021. (22,58) Led by the Technical Secretariat for the Lifetime Plan. (59) Remained the government's signature social program in 2019 to assist vulnerable populations, including children. (3)

† Policy was approved during the reporting period.

In August 2019, Ecuador hosted the Fifth Sub-Regional Meeting on the Prevention, Protection, and Restitution of Rights in Response to the Sexual Exploitation of Girls, Boys, and Adolescents to exchange best practices with representatives from across South America and establish an inter-institutional plan of action to fight this crime. (37)

VI. Social Programs to Address Child Labor

In 2019, the government funded and participated in programs that include the goal of eliminating or preventing child labor (Table 10). However, gaps exist in these social programs, including the adequacy of efforts to address all worst forms of child labor.

Table 10. Key Social Programs to Address Child Labor

Program

Description

Business Network for a Child Labor Free Ecuador

UN initiative that seeks to gain commitment from participating industries to promote the prevention and elimination of child labor in their supply chains, trains businesses on child labor prevention, and creates employment opportunities for the parents of children engaged in child labor. (61) In 2019, co-organized an event with the Ministry of Labor in Guayaquil to commemorate June 12th's Day Against Child Labor. (62) In September 2019, the network collaborated with the local Ministry of Labor in the region of Azuay to launch the program "Actions that Educate" (Acciones que Educan) which creates seven free computer centers in the region for school children's use in an effort to discourage child labor. (63) During the reporting period, the network signed a commitment letter affirming plans to continue operations between 2019–2021. (64)

National Program to Combat Child Begging†

Seeks to raise awareness about child begging; aims to facilitate social services for children begging in the streets. (2) The government did not provide information on activities undertaken to implement this program in 2019 for inclusion in this report.

Palma Futuro (2019–2022)*

$6 million regional project implemented by Partners of the Americas to improve the implementation of social compliance systems that prevent and reduce child labor and forced labor in palm oil supply chains. (65) Additional information is available on the USDOL website.

Youth Impulse (Impulso Joven)†

Seeks to increase job training and higher education opportunities for at-risk youth, support youth entrepreneurship through preferential loans, and connect employers with at-risk youth. (2) The government did not provide information on activities undertaken to implement this plan in 2019 for inclusion in this report.

* Program was launched during the reporting period.
† Program is funded by the Government of Ecuador.
‡ The government had other social programs that may have included the goal of eliminating or preventing child labor. (2,50,66-68)

In 2019, MIES continued to support the prevention of child labor among Afro-Ecuadorians through 17 educational centers located in urban Guayaquil in coordination with the Rafaela Maria Foundation. (69) In April 2019, Ecuador collaborated with the Regional Action Group of the Americas to launch an online informational campaign to raise awareness on child sex tourism in commemoration of the Day against Child Slavery. (37)

Although civil society stakeholders commended the government's social programs, they reiterated that these programs only make limited interventions in sectors in which child labor is most prevalent, specifically the informal and agricultural sectors. (2)

VII. Suggested Government Actions to Eliminate Child Labor

Based on the reporting above, suggested actions are identified that would advance the elimination of child labor in Ecuador (Table 11).

Table 11. Suggested Government Actions to Eliminate Child Labor

Area

Suggested Action

Year(s) Suggested

Enforcement

Increase the number of labor inspectors to meet the ILO's technical advice.

2009 – 2019

 

Ensure that the labor inspectorate is properly funded so that inspectors receive sufficient resources, including transportation and equipment, to adequately carry out their duties. Ensure that inspections sufficiently cover sectors in which child labor has been reported, including the agricultural sector and the informal sector.

2014 – 2019

 

Ensure that labor inspectors have sufficient knowledge of existing laws, penalties, processes, and training in victim identification to conduct inspections and refer victims to social services.

2015 – 2019

 

Ensure that laws and regulations governing child labor, especially hazardous labor, are enforced consistently throughout the country, including in rural areas and family-run businesses.

2016 – 2019

 

Ensure that investigators receive sufficient resources, including shelters for victims, to investigate cases of the worst forms of child labor and refer victims.

2016 – 2019

 

Strengthen the provision of specialized services for victims of trafficking.

2018 – 2019

 

Publish information collected from the Unified System of Registration of Child Labor System and the number of criminal violations found and convictions of crimes related to the worst forms of child labor.

2019

 

Ensure that criminal law enforcement, including the National Police Unit for Crimes against Children and Adolescents, has sufficient resources to investigate cases and that employees at local and provincial levels of the Attorney General's Office receive sufficient training.

2019

Coordination

Strengthen coordinating mechanisms among ministries providing social services to victims of child labor, especially in the informal sector.

2015 – 2019

 

Ensure that key coordinating committees, including the Inter-Institutional Committee for the Eradication of Child Labor, convene on a regular basis to address issues of the worst forms of child labor.

2019

Government Policies

Update the National Plan to Eradicate Child Laborto ensure adequate funding for implementation and effective inter-agency coordination.

2019

Social Programs

Conduct a comprehensive new child labor survey so that there is sufficient data to inform government actions to eliminate child labor.

2018 – 2019

 

Enhance efforts to eliminate barriers and make education accessible for all children, including indigenous and refugee children and children from rural areas, by increasing classroom space and teachers, addressing teen pregnancy issues, and providing adequate transportation.

2014 – 2019

 

Enhance efforts to address exploitative labor practices and labor trafficking of migrant and refugee children.

2018 – 2019

 

Ensure that children of refugees and migrants have full access to education.

2018 – 2019

 

Ensure that social programs make interventions in sectors in which child labor is most prevalent, specifically in the informal and agricultural sectors.

2018 – 2019

 

Ensure that all social programs that address child labor, including the National Program to Combat Child Begging and Youth Impulse, are active and publish information on activities taken during the reporting period.

2019

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