2021 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor: Brazil

Moderate Advancement

In 2021, Brazil made moderate advancement in efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labor. The government published two updated versions of the national "Dirty List" containing information on employers that the Ministry of Labor and Welfare found to be using slave labor, including that of children. It also established the Intersectoral Commission to Combat Violence Against Children and Adolescents, with the aim of consolidating public policies relevant to addressing all types of violence against children and adolescents. Furthermore, the government updated the Federal Pact for the Eradication of Forced Labor, with the objective of promoting, improving, and maximizing communication between entities involved in addressing slave labor and extending participation to all 5,000 municipalities in the country. Lastly, the Ministry of Citizenship's Monitoring System of the Child Labor Eradication Program, which tracks actions taken by state and municipal governments in support of the National Program to Eradicate Child Labor, registered 12,756 activities carried out nationwide to address child labor. However, children in Brazil are subjected to the worst forms of child labor, including in commercial sexual exploitation, sometimes as a result of human trafficking. Children also engage in child labor in agriculture, including in the production of coffee. Although Brazil made meaningful efforts in all relevant areas during the reporting period, prohibitions against child trafficking require the use of threats, violence, coercion, fraud, or abuse to be established for the crime of child trafficking and, therefore, do not meet international labor standards. The reported number of labor inspectors is likely not sufficient to provide adequate coverage of the workforce, and local governments lack the capacity to fully implement and monitor the National Program to Eradicate Child Labor and other social protection programs.

I. Prevalence and Sectoral Distribution of Child Labor

Children in Brazil are subjected to the worst forms of child labor, including in commercial sexual exploitation, sometimes as a result of human trafficking. (1,2) Children also engage in child labor in agriculture, including in the production of coffee. (3,4) The 2019 National Household Survey, published in December 2020, estimated that approximately 1.8 million children ages 5 to 17 engaged in child labor—337,000 children ages 5 to 13, and 1.4 million adolescents ages 14 to 17. Of the 1.8 million children found in situations of child labor, 706,000 children were found to be working in hazardous conditions. (5) The survey also revealed a decrease of approximately 200,000 child laborers since 2016. (5) Table 1 provides key indicators on children’s work and education in Brazil. Data on some of these indicators are not available from the sources used in this report.

Table 1. Statistics on Children's Work and Education

Children

Age

Percent

Working (% and population)

5 to 14

2.1 (638,943)

Working children by sector

5 to 14

 

Agriculture

 

56.5

Industry

 

8.2

Services

 

35.2

Attending School (%)

5 to 14

98.0

Combining Work and School (%)

7 to 14

2.4

Primary Completion Rate (%)

 

Unavailable

Primary completion rate was unavailable from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2022. (6)
Source for all other data: International Labor Organization's analysis of statistics from Pesquisa Nacional por Amostra de Domicílios (PNAD) Continua, 2015. (7)

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

Harvesting of açaí and citrus fruits, and the production of bananas, cocoa, coffee, corn, cotton,† eucalyptus, grapes, mangoes, manioc, mate tea, onions, pineapples,† rice, sisal,† soy, sugarcane,† tobacco,† and watermelons (3,4,8-14)

 

Cattle ranching and raising livestock, including hogs, poultry, and sheep (4,8,15)

 

Fishing and harvesting mollusks† (4,8,16)

 

Forestry, including logging,† extracting carnauba palm leaves, and producing charcoal† (4,8,17-19)

Industry

Slaughtering animals,† including for beef production (20)

 

Processing manioc/cassava flour† and cashews† (21,22)

 

Production of ceramics† and bricks† (19,23)

 

Production of footwear and textiles, including garments (8,19,23)

 

Construction† (12,24)

 

Work in stone quarries† (19,25)

 

Rolling straw cigarettes† (26,27)

Services

Street work,† including vending,† washing cars,† collecting recycling,† and garbage scavenging† (12,19,28-30)

 

Work in markets and fairs, including hauling fruits and vegetables and transporting heavy loads (31)

 

Restaurant food delivery, including by bicycle (32)

 

Selling alcoholic beverages † (28,29)

 

Artistic and sports-related activities and cultural work (33)

 

Domestic work,† including babysitting, housekeeping, and eldercare (12,19)

Categorical Worst Forms of Child Labor‡

Commercial sexual exploitation, including use in the production of pornography, sometimes as a result of human trafficking (1,2,30,34)

 

Forced domestic work (34)

 

Forced labor in agriculture, including in the production of coffee and manioc (3,35)

 

Forced labor in the production of garments, including in garment factories (36)

 

Use by gangs to perform illicit activities, including drug trafficking, sometimes as a result of human trafficking (37,38)

 

Forced begging (39)

† 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.

The COVID-19 pandemic continued to affect the Brazilian economy, causing an increase in the number of children engaging in child labor. During the reporting period, approximately 47,000 children and adolescents between the ages of 5 and 17 were found working in the State of Espírito Santo in agriculture and street vending. The State of Espírito Santo also found that some children were subjected to prostitution and drug trafficking. (40) In June 2021, Rio de Janeiro's Municipal Social Assistance Department found 20 children and adolescents working as food scavengers and selling sweets on the streets in a popular local market. (41) In addition, São Paulo State registered 3,558 children engaged in child labor during the first semester of 2021; of this number, 2,085 children were living and working on the streets, while 967 were involved in illicit activities, such as drug trafficking, and 126 were subjected to commercial sexual exploitation. (12)

The overall scope and magnitude of commercial sexual exploitation of children is unknown; however, the latest biennial report published by the Federal Highway Police, in collaboration with Childhood Brazil, identified 3,651 areas along highways throughout the country where children are vulnerable to commercial sexual exploitation. Areas are assessed by evaluating the risk of exploitation and the implementation of preventative mechanisms and strategies that exist within each state. (2) According to the report, the states of Bahia, Goiás, Pará, Minas Gerais and Ceará have the highest risk for this type of exploitation. Furthermore, the recent report also indicated a 0.4 percent decrease in these vulnerable areas since its previous publication. (2) Child sex tourism is particularly common in tourist and coastal areas, and girls from other South American countries are also exploited for commercial sex in Brazil. (34,42)

The ILO and the Labor Prosecution Office (MPT) of Brazil published a report indicating that at least 8,000 children and adolescents in the country were found to be working in the production of cocoa. The study was conducted between July 2017 and June 2018, with the aim of exposing companies and holding them accountable for their child labor and forced labor violations. (43,44)

Research found that some schools, particularly those in rural areas, are overcrowded, have poor infrastructure, and lack basic resources and teachers. (12,45) In previous years, birth registration documents were required for school enrollment, which occasionally caused delays in processing school registration while children were being registered for birth certificates. However, in November 2020, the Ministry of Education officially published Resolution No. 1, which removed the need for birth registration documents for school enrollment, including by migrant, refugee, stateless, and asylum-seeking children. (46)

A survey by the education-focused NGO Education for All (Todos pela Educação), using data from the second quarter of 2021’s Continuous Household Survey (PNAD), found that the number of children ages 6 to 14 who were out of school grew 171 percent compared to the same calendar period in 2019, resulting in 244,000 children out of school, the largest number since 2012. Furthermore, the percentage of school-enrolled children fell from 98 percent in 2019 to 96.2 percent in 2021. (47)

II. Legal Framework for Child Labor

Brazil 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 has established laws and regulations related to child labor (Table 4). However, gaps exist in Brazil’s legal framework to adequately protect children from the worst forms of child labor, including deficiencies with its child trafficking prohibitions.

Table 4. Laws and Regulations on Child Labor

Standard

Meets International Standards

Age

Legislation

Minimum Age for Work

Yes

16

Article 403 of the Labor Code (48)

Minimum Age for Hazardous Work

Yes

18

Article 2 of the Hazardous Work List (49)

Identification of Hazardous Occupations or Activities Prohibited for Children

Yes

 

Hazardous Work List (49)

Prohibition of Forced Labor

Yes

 

Articles 149 and 149-A of the Penal Code (50,51)

Prohibition of Child Trafficking

No

 

Article 149-A of the Penal Code; Article 244-A of the Child and Adolescent Statute (51,52)

Prohibition of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children

Yes

 

Articles 218-A, 218-B, 227, and 228 of the Penal Code; Articles 240, 241, and 244-A of the Child and Adolescent Statute (50,52)

Prohibition of Using Children in Illicit Activities

Yes

 

Articles 33 and 40 of the National System of Public Policies on Drugs; Article 244-B of the Child and Adolescent Statute (52,53)

Minimum Age for Voluntary State Military Recruitment

Yes

17

Article 127 of the Military Service Regulation (54)

Prohibition of Compulsory Recruitment of Children by (State) Military

Yes

 

Article 5 of the Military Service Law (55)

Prohibition of Military Recruitment by Non-state Armed Groups

No

   

Compulsory Education Age

Yes

17

Article 4 of the National Education Law (56)

Free Public Education

Yes

 

Article 4 of the National Education Law (56)

The national "Dirty List," which contains information on employers that are found to be using slave labor, including that of children, was updated in April 2021 with 19 names and in October 2021 with 13 names. (57-59)

Prohibitions against child trafficking require the use of threats, violence, coercion, fraud, or abuse to be established for the crime of child trafficking and, therefore, do not meet international labor standards. (51) As the minimum age for work is lower than the compulsory education age, children may be encouraged to leave school before the completion of compulsory education. (48,56)

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 enforcement agencies 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 and Welfare (MTP)

Oversees the Secretariat of Labor, which is responsible for the enforcement of labor laws, including those related to child labor and forced labor. Its Under Secretariat for Labor Inspection is responsible for conducting unannounced inspections at sites in which forced labor is suspected, including forced child labor. (12,60) Upon finding children in hazardous working conditions, labor inspectors immediately remove and return them to their families or refer them to social services providers. (12) In 2021, the government re‐established the Ministry of Labor, which had been incorporated into the Ministry of Economy in 2019, as the MTP. (61)

Labor Prosecution Office (MPT)

Prosecutes child labor and forced labor violations by working with prosecutors from its National Committee to Combat Child and Adolescent Labor, an in-house body that coordinates efforts to address child labor. Collects fines for forced labor violations and allocates funds for initiatives that address child labor and forced labor. (12) Led by the Ministry of Public Union. (62)

Military, Civil, and Federal Police

The Military Police operate at the local level and refer cases to the Civil Police for investigation. The Federal Police, in turn, work on interstate or international cases and maintain a database to track cases of human trafficking for sexual exploitation. (12) The Federal Highway Police help identify areas in which children are at high risk of commercial sexual exploitation. (12) In 2021, the Federal Police expanded its capacity to respond to cases of human trafficking and forced labor. (59,63) Previously, the Service for the Repression of Trafficking in Persons and Human Smuggling (SRTP) was the only office, within the Federal Police, to lead these investigations; however, during the reporting period, an additional office was established, the Nucleus to Repress Forced Labor, to respond to cases of forced labor. In addition, the SRTP increased in size, including a police delegate leading the division and supported by three federal police officers and additional staff support, depending on the specific mission, with a focus on human trafficking and smuggling. (59,63)

Ministry of Justice and Public Security (MJSP)

Leads efforts to address human trafficking and oversees the operations of Advanced Posts (Postos Avançados) and state-run Anti-Trafficking Coordination Centers (Núcleos de Enfrentamento). Provides guidance to federal, state, and local government officials on referrals for victims of human trafficking, including to Anti-Trafficking Coordination Centers, Specialized Social Assistance Reference Centers, and NGOs. (12) Eight Advanced Posts operate throughout the country to identify human traffickers and potential victims in high-transit areas, including airports and bus stations. (63)

Special Courts for Childhood and Youth

Oversee legislative issues related to the eradication of child labor and guarantee the fair and adequate entry of adolescents into the labor force, in compliance with the 1990 Child and Adolescent Statute. Provide protection and care to victims through court psychologists. (12,64)

State Councils for Child and Adolescent Rights

Ensure compliance at state, federal, and local levels with public policies legislating the human rights of children and adolescents. (12) Chaired by members of government and civil society. Councils can levy Guardianship Counsels, Special Protection Precincts, and solicit judicial action by the MJSP, Public Defenders, and the Special Courts for Childhood and Youth. (12)

Labor Law Enforcement

In 2021, labor law enforcement agencies in Brazil took actions to address child labor (Table 6). However, gaps exist within the operations of the Ministry of Labor and Welfare (MTP) that may hinder adequate labor law enforcement, including insufficient human resource allocation.

Table 6. Labor Law Enforcement Efforts Related to Child Labor

Overview of Labor Law Enforcement

2020

2021

Labor Inspectorate Funding

$1,759,952 (65)

Unknown

Number of Labor Inspectors

2,084 (66)

2,015 (12)

Mechanism to Assess Civil Penalties

Yes (67)

Yes (67)

Initial Training for New Labor Inspectors

N/A (66)

N/A

Training on New Laws Related to Child Labor

N/A (66)

N/A

Refresher Courses Provided

Yes (66)

Yes (12)

Number of Labor Inspections Conducted

194,126 (59)

169,038 (59)

Number Conducted at Worksite

194,126 (59)

169,038 (59)

Number of Child Labor Violations Found

279 (68)

1100 (59)

Number of Child Labor Violations for Which Penalties Were Imposed

681 (12)

933 (59)

Number of Child Labor Penalties Imposed that Were Collected

Unknown (66)

Unknown

Routine Inspections Conducted

Yes (66)

Yes (12)

Routine Inspections Targeted

Yes (66)

Yes (12)

Unannounced Inspections Permitted

Yes (67)

Yes (67)

Unannounced Inspections Conducted

Yes (66)

Yes (12)

Complaint Mechanism Exists

Yes (66)

Yes (12)

Reciprocal Referral Mechanism Exists Between Labor Authorities and Social Services

Yes (66)

Yes (12)

According to the Under Secretariat for Labor Inspection, 1,838 children and adolescents were removed from situations of child labor during the reporting period. Reports indicate that these operations covered several sectors with a focus on open air markets, street commerce on beaches and in public places, and garbage dumps in the states of Maranhão, Bahia, Espírito Santo, Ceará, and Paraíba. (12) In February 2021, the Regional Office of the Ministry of Labor in Minas Gerais State rescued 11 people, including minors, from a ceramics factory. The factory owner signed a conduct adjustment agreement with the Public Ministry of Minas Gerais and issued severance payments to each of the rescued workers, including those below age 18. (69) Also in February, labor inspectors removed 39 children, between the ages of 7 and 17, and cited 16 employers during a coordinated action in Bahia State in the capital city of Salvador and the surrounding region. (70) In addition, in Ceará State, 149 children were rescued from situations of child labor, which was a significant contrast to the 30 rescued in 2020. Of the 149 children rescued, 148 were found working in activities determined by Brazilian legislation as the worst forms of child labor, such as construction and garbage collection in landfills. (71) The inspections in Ceará were conducted by the MTP's labor inspection unit and focused on planned mapping efforts of 177 possible incidences of child labor in the state. (71) The Under Secretariat of Labor Inspection's Special Mobile Inspection Groups (GEFM) also removed three minors, ages 9, 10, and 13, along with their parents and two younger siblings, from a coffee and eucalyptus plantation. The three minors fertilized and cleaned around the property, including the owner's house. (72) Moreover, the GEFM rescued 116 workers, including 5 adolescents, from a Goiás farm supplying straw to Brazil's largest straw cigarettes manufacturer. (27) In September, for the first time in 10 years, labor inspectors identified six adolescents, ages 15 to 17, working in the fruit industry in the Petrolina region of Pernambuco, including on grape and mango farms. Four farms were inspected and child labor was identified on three of them. (12)

According to the Under Secretariat for Labor Inspection, when children are found in situations of child labor, including in hazardous working conditions, they are immediately removed from the situation. Relevant data related to the violations are collected and forwarded to social services providers within the child and adolescent protection network, and reports are sent to the Public Ministry for further guidance. (73) In addition, children over age 14 may be referred to the country’s apprenticeship program. (73) The number of labor inspectors is likely insufficient for the size of Brazil’s workforce, which includes approximately 99.56 million workers. According to the ILO’s technical advice of a ratio approaching 1 inspector for every 15,000 workers in industrializing economies, Brazil would need to employ roughly 6,637 labor inspectors. (74,75)

Criminal Law Enforcement

In 2021, criminal law enforcement agencies in Brazil took actions to address child labor (Table 7). However, gaps exist within the operations of the criminal enforcement agencies that may hinder adequate criminal law enforcement, including insufficient efforts to hold violators of child labor laws accountable in accordance with the law.

Table 7. Criminal Law Enforcement Efforts Related to Child Labor

Overview of Criminal Law Enforcement

2020

2021

Initial Training for New Criminal Investigators

Yes (66)

Yes (12)

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

N/A (66)

N/A

Refresher Courses Provided

Yes (66)

Yes (12)

Number of Investigations

Unknown (66)

Unknown

Number of Violations Found

Unknown (66)

Unknown

Number of Prosecutions Initiated

Unknown (66)

Unknown

Number of Convictions

Unknown (66)

Unknown

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

Unknown (66)

Unknown

Reciprocal Referral Mechanism Exists Between Criminal Authorities and Social Services

Yes (66)

Yes (12)

Although the government did not provide criminal law enforcement data for the reporting period, reports indicate that a U.S. citizen was found guilty and sentenced to 9 years in prison under the Brazilian Penal Code 218-B for "Enticement of a Minor for Sexual Exploitation;" however, the case has been appealed and the accused remains free. The victim's mother was also sentenced under the same violation, receiving a sentence of 12 years in prison, though she also remains free, pending appeal. (12)

In April 2021, during an operation to address child labor exploitation in the state of Bahia, Salvador's Specialized Police for the Repression of Crimes against Children and Adolescents identified more than 20 minors begging in supermarket parking lots and at traffic lights throughout the city. These children were accompanied by adults, and five of them were determined to have been subjected to forced begging. (39) In addition, during the reporting period, Federal Police agents rescued three Bolivian adolescents, ages 16 and 17, working in a clothing factory in a small town in the interior of São Paulo. All three victims were imprisoned in a small house behind the factory, with poor sanitary conditions and without access to the outside world. (36)

The Federal Police, under Operation Harem, infiltrated an international sex trafficking ring and arrested six members in Brazil, Spain, and Portugal in April 2021. Allegedly, the network is led by a Brazilian and extends over 15 countries across multiple continents with over 200 women, including minors, recruited through social media and messaging applications with promises of money and work in modeling agencies. (76)

The Judiciary, the MPT, and the federal and state police have databases to track cases of human trafficking for sexual exploitation; however, information from these databases is not shared in a standardized way across relevant agencies. (12,77) In addition, reports indicate that the judicial system does not sufficiently hold perpetrators accountable for child labor law violations, including forced child labor, which may lead to a sense of impunity among violators. (42)

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 lack of efficacy in accomplishing mandates.

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

Coordinating Body

Role & Description

National Commission for the Eradication of Child Labor (CONAETI)

Leads implementation of the National Plan for the Prevention and Eradication of Child Labor and the Protection of Working Adolescents. Re-established in December 2020 and restructured from its original multipartite composition to a tripartite structure made up of six government, six employer, and six employee representatives. (66) Government representatives include the ministries of Economy, Education, Citizenship, Health, Agriculture and Supply, and Women, Family and Human Rights. In addition, six special representatives are allowed to participate in meetings as observers, including from government agencies and national and international organizations, though these special representatives are not allowed to vote on any new initiatives. (78) In September 2021, conducted one meeting, after its re-establishment, to discuss general housekeeping matters and internal regulations. (12)

Intersectoral Commission to Combat Violence Against Children and Adolescents*

Established by Federal Decree No. 10.701 in 2021, thereby replacing the Intersectoral Commission to Combat Sexual Violence Against Children and Adolescents. Aims to consolidate public policies relevant to addressing violence against children and adolescents, including physical, sexual, psychological, and institutional violence. (12,79) Also aims to draft, monitor, and evaluate a national plan to address violence against children and adolescents in coordination with the National Council for the Rights of Children and Adolescents (CONANDA). Led by the Ministry of Women, Family and Human Rights, and includes representatives from MJSP, and the ministries of Education, Citizenship, Health, and Tourism. (12,79) In July 2021, the Commission conducted its first meeting and created an agenda for the drafting of a national action plan. (79)

National Council for the Rights of Children and Adolescents (CONANDA)

Coordinates the implementation of policies to protect children’s and adolescents’ rights, including the National Plan for the Prevention and Eradication of Child Labor and the Protection of Working Adolescents. Led by MJSP's Special Secretariat for Human Rights. (80) In 2021, designated, within its scope, the members of the Monitoring and Evaluation Commission; established the Organizing Committee of the XII National Conference on the Rights of Children and Adolescents and appointed its members; and approved amendments to article 22(4) of Resolution No. 217 of December 26, 2018, thus allowing a remaining tie to be decided by CONANDA’s President casting a vote at the subsequent meeting. (81-84) In addition, held monthly meetings and elected civil society representatives. Its Adolescent Advisory Committee published a newsletter and hosted a virtual event in collaboration with SaferNet Brasil, a Brazilian NGO committed to online safety. (59) In May 2021, conducted events in support of the National Day to Combat Abuse and Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents. (59)

Labor Justice Commission for the Eradication of Child Labor and Protection of Working Adolescents

Coordinates efforts to eliminate child labor and ensure that adolescents have decent work opportunities. (85) Includes 11 representatives from the Superior Labor Court and regional labor courts. (86) Research was unable to determine whether activities were undertaken by the council during the reporting period.

National Committee to Combat Trafficking in Persons (CONATRAP)

Led by the National Secretariat for Justice within MJSP. Coordinates activities to address human trafficking and advises the Ministry on public policies related to human trafficking, including child trafficking. (42,87) Comprising seven voting members distributed among government and civil society. (42) In 2021, issued updates to its committee bylaws. (59)

Anti-Trafficking Coordination Centers (Núcleos de Enfrentamento)

Coordinate activities to address human trafficking, including medical, legal, and psychological assistance, in 16 states and the Federal District. (88) Research was unable to determine whether activities were undertaken by the Anti-Trafficking Coordination Centers during the reporting period.

* Mechanism to coordinate efforts to address child labor was established during the reporting period.

During the reporting period, the mayor of the municipality of Vila Velha, Espírito Santo, signed Decree No. 276 establishing a taskforce aimed at preventing and eradicating child labor. The taskforce comprises city officials and representatives of the judiciary. (12,89)

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 insufficient funding and lack of implementation.

Table 9. Key Policies Related to Child Labor

Policy

Description

National Plan for the Prevention and Eradication of Child Labor and the Protection of Working Adolescents III (2019–2022)

Prioritizes the prevention and eradication of child labor and the protection of adolescent workers; raises public awareness of child labor and its worst forms, including the risks of child labor; ensures relevant legislative compliance related to the prohibitions of child labor and its worst forms; strengthens family security and stability through the increase of employment opportunities; ensures access to quality education; and establishes health support systems for child labor victims. (90) In 2021, MPT published a manual on addressing some of the worst forms of child labor, including domestic work, street work, rural labor activities, drug trafficking, and commercial sexual exploitation of children. The manual further includes concepts, data, and possible strategies to address these issues. (12,91)

National Plan to Combat Human Trafficking III (2018–2022)

Outlines the government's strategy to address human trafficking. Includes 58 objectives based on 6 themes: policy management, information management, training, accountability, victim assistance and prevention, and public awareness raising. (42,92) Research was unable to determine whether activities were undertaken to implement the National Plan to Combat Human Trafficking during the reporting period.

Federal Pact for the Eradication of Forced Labor

Aims to establish a database on forced labor, create state-level commissions to address forced labor, and strengthen interagency coordination. Led by MJSP's Special Secretariat for Human Rights, and currently signed by 23 of the 27 states. (42,93,94) In 2021, the Pact was revised, allowing all 5,000 municipalities throughout the country to be included. Additionally, this revision aims to promote and improve communication between related entities involved in addressing matters related to the eradication of slave labor. (94,95)

National Education Plan (2014–2024)

Aims to expand access to education and improve the quality of education by allocating 10 percent of Brazil’s gross domestic product to public education by 2024. (96) In 2021, the goal of increasing full-time school enrollment rose by 15 percent in high schools and 10 percent in elementary schools; however, over the past 7 years, only 5 out of the 20 goals of the National Education Policy have been partially achieved. (12,97) In addition, research found that frequent cuts to the national education budget affected the implementation of the National Education Plan. (97,98)

‡ The government had other policies that may have addressed child labor issues or had an impact on child labor. (99,100)

VI. Social Programs to Address Child Labor

In 2021, 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 inadequacy of programs to assist child victims of human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation.

Table 10. Key Social Programs to Address Child Labor

Program

Description

National Program to Eradicate Child Labor (Programa de Erradicação do Trabalho Infantil [PETI])

Ministry of Citizenship (MOC) social assistance program that addresses child labor through awareness-raising activities, victim identification and protection, and conditional cash transfers. To receive program benefits, family participants must ensure that children are not working and maintain at least 85 percent school attendance. (101) According to the Ministry's Monitoring System of the Child Labor Eradication Program (SIMPETI), which tracks actions taken by state and municipal governments towards the five objectives in support of PETI, there were 12,756 activities carried out nationwide to address child labor during the reporting period. The state of Pernambuco led the effort with 554 actions through its Department of Social Development, Children, and Youth, allocating $150,000 for the execution of strategic actions in support of PETI, including technical assistance and monitoring of actions carried out by social assistance teams. (12)

Aid Brazil (Auxílio Brasil)*†

MOC cash transfer program that integrates various public policies addressing social assistance, health, education, employment, and income. Aimed at families living in poverty and extreme poverty throughout the country. (102) Established in November 2021, the new program replaces the pre-existing Family Stipend (Bolsa Família) program, increasing the amounts paid to vulnerable families and incorporating all families previously enrolled in the Bolsa Família program. The government also aims to expand eligibility to increase the recipients from 14.6 million to 17.5 million by January 2022. (12)

Specialized Social Assistance Reference Centers†

MOC program that provides vulnerable populations, including victims of child labor and commercial sexual exploitation, with psychological, social, and legal services. (103) The centers continued to provide services during the reporting period. (104)

South-South Cooperation Projects†

Government of Brazil-funded projects implemented by ILO to address child labor and promote South-South cooperation. (105) In 2021, ILO and other Brazilian institutions launched the "Consolidation of the Progress of the Latin America and Caribbean Regional Initiative Free of Child Labor" project, which aims to address child labor in the region by 2025 and seeks to share the Brazilian experience through data generation, labor inspection, and local coordination to implement national policies to address child labor. The launch event was attended by more than 40 representatives, including MOC, MTP, the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, and regional partners. (12)

National Flow of Assistance to Victims of Slave Labor†

Creates an integrated network of social services providers and standardizes assistance to victims of slave labor across the country. It is structured into three stages: complaint and planning, rescue and reintegration, and the identification of organizations mandated to act at each stage, including their role detail. (106) Led by the Ministry for Women, Family, and Human Rights (MMFDH). (107) In October 2021, MMFDH published Ordinance No. 3.484, which ensured national implementation of the National Flow of Assistance to Slave Labor Victims. In addition, MMFDH trained service providers on its implementation during the reporting period. (106)

USDOL-Funded Projects

Cooperation on Fair, Free, Equitable Employment (COFFEE), a $2.2 million project implemented by Verité in Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico to develop tools for businesses to establish systems to prevent, detect, and address child and forced labor in coffee supply chains. Measurement, Awareness-Raising, and Policy Engagement (MAP16) Project on Child Labor and Forced Labor, a global project with a $225,000 component in Brazil that supported a National Forced Labor Survey. (108,109) As of the publication of this report, the results of the survey have not yet been published. For additional information, please see our website.

* Program was launched during the reporting period.
† Program is funded by the Government of Brazil.
‡ The government had other social programs that may have included the goal of eliminating or preventing child labor. (110-114)

The Ministry of Women, Family and Human Rights manages a human rights hotline that directs child labor, child trafficking, and child sexual exploitation complaints to relevant institutions. (12) In 2021, the hotline received 2,492 reports of potential child labor cases and 353 reports of 602 potential forced labor violations involving both children and adults. Data related to child labor complaints were as follows: 73 in rural areas, 836 in domestic service, 509 in commercial or industrial settings, and 1,161 in the informal sector. (12)

Because PETI is decentralized, municipal governments are responsible for implementation and monitoring, and must report back to state and federal governments. Challenges include responding to the needs of program participants, complex local contexts and geographic areas, excessive program requirements, and high staff turnover. (115) In addition, many states reported a lack of resources to adequately assist, identify, refer, and support child trafficking victims, and many did not have specialized shelters for child victims of commercial sexual exploitation. (34)

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 Brazil (Table 11).

Table 11. Suggested Government Actions to Eliminate Child Labor

Area

Suggested Action

Year(s) Suggested

Legal Framework

Ensure that laws do not require the use of threats, violence, coercion, fraud, or abuse to establish the crime of child trafficking.

2016 – 2021

 

Ensure that the law criminally prohibits the recruitment of children under age 18 by non-state armed groups.

2016 – 2021

 

Raise the minimum age for work to the age up to which education is compulsory.

2018 – 2021

Enforcement

Publish information regarding labor inspectorate funding, the number of labor inspections conducted, and number of child labor penalties that were imposed and collected.

2012 – 2021

 

Significantly increase the number of labor inspectors to meet the ILO’s technical advice.

2014 – 2021

 

Publish information related to criminal law enforcement efforts, such as the number of investigations conducted, violations found, prosecutions initiated, convictions obtained, and penalties imposed for violations related to the worst forms of child labor.

2021

 

Ensure that relevant enforcement agencies are able to coordinate on their efforts to collect data on cases of human trafficking for sexual exploitation and ensure that the dataare disaggregated by victims’ ages.

2009 – 2021

 

Ensure that all violators of the worst forms of child labor violations are held accountable in accordance with the law.

2015 – 2021

Coordination

Ensure that the Labor Justice Commission for the Eradication of Child Labor and Protection of Working Adolescents and the Anti-Trafficking Coordination Centers carry out their intended mandates.

2021

Government Policies

Provide sufficient funding to ensure that the goals outlined in the National Education Plan are achieved.

2015 – 2021

 

Ensure that activities are undertaken to implement the National Plan to Combat Human Trafficking and publish results from activities implemented during the reporting period.

2021

Social Programs

Remove barriers to education, including by ensuring an adequate number of trained teachers, providing sufficient schools, improving school infrastructure, and taking steps to enroll children in rural areas.

2013 – 2021

 

Ensure that the government publishes the results of National Forced Labor Survey.

2020 – 2021

 

Support local governments in the implementation and monitoring of the National Program to Eradicate Child Labor.

2009 – 2021

 

Provide adequate resources to state governments to ensure that child trafficking victims receive appropriate social services and ensure the availability of specialized shelters for child victims of commercial sexual exploitation.

2012 – 2021

References
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