In 2022, Guatemala made moderate advancement in efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labor. The government enacted a decree amending the Penal Code to include and increase the penalties for online sexual exploitation crimes committed against children. The Labor Inspectorate also increased the number of its human rights inspectors from 4 to 11, whose purview includes child labor issues. In addition, the government relaunched the "Protecting our Greatest Treasure" media campaign to raise awareness of protecting children and adolescents from sexual exploitation and human trafficking in the tourism sector. However, children in Guatemala are subjected to 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, including in the production of coffee. Moreover, in Guatemala an insufficient number of labor inspectors limits the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare's ability to address child labor. In addition, existing social programs are insufficient to reach all children engaged in exploitative labor, particularly those engaged in domestic work or agriculture.
Table 1 provides key indicators on children's work and education in Guatemala.
| Children | Age | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| Working (% and population) | 7 to 14 | 11.0 (330,547) |
| Working children by sector | 7 to 14 | |
| Agriculture | 62.4 | |
| Industry | 16.4 | |
| Services | 21.2 | |
| Attending School (%) | 7 to 14 | 90.4 |
| Combining Work and School (%) | 7 to 14 | 8.1 |
| Primary Completion Rate (%) | 87.2 |
Source for primary completion rate: Data from 2021, published by UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2023. (1)
Source for all other data: International Labor Organization's analysis of statistics from Encuesta Nacional de Empleo e Ingreso I (ENEI I), 2021. (2)
Based on a review of available information, Table 2 provides an overview of children's work by sector and activity.
| Sector/Industry | Activity |
|---|---|
| Agriculture | Planting and harvesting coffee, cacao, sugarcane, corn, broccoli, bananas, plantains, and flowers (3-11) |
| Harvesting palm kernels and producing palm oil (5,9,11) | |
| Ranching, forestry, and fishing (3,12,13) | |
| Industry | Construction, activities unknown (3,14) |
| Manufacturing gravel (crushed stones)† and fireworks† (3,4,6,7,15) | |
| Services | Domestic work and house-sitting† (7,9,16) |
| Street work,† including vending,† performing,† cleaning windshields and windows,† begging, and shoe shining† (9,17-23) | |
| Making corn tortillas (4,7,9,14,22-25) | |
| Working as store clerks in small family-owned corner stores (abarroterías) (7,8,25) | |
| Vehicle and motorcycle repair (12,13) | |
| Garbage scavenging† and working in garbage dumps† (26) | |
| Working as servers in restaurants (comedores) (9) | |
| Categorical Worst Forms of Child Labor‡ | Forced labor in agriculture, domestic work, street begging, making corn tortillas, and vending (3,17-24,27-29) |
| Use in the production of pornography, sometimes as a result of human trafficking (3,18) | |
| Commercial sexual exploitation, sometimes as a result of human trafficking (3,4,9,12,17,18,24,28-30) | |
| Use in illicit activities, including drug trafficking, and stealing and transporting contraband as a result of criminal and gang recruitment, each sometimes as a result of human trafficking (4,12,17-25) |
† 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.
Indigenous children account for more than half of child laborers in Guatemala, and children in rural areas are more likely to work than children in urban areas. Most of these children are engaged in agricultural activity. (18,31) Children as young as age 5 work in coffee fields picking and carrying heavy loads of coffee beans. (32) In addition, reports indicate that children work as street performers or beggars. Some of these children are also sold to criminal organizations, work very long hours, and are at times forced to wear paint, which is often toxic, to attract more attention as they perform in the streets. (18)
Children, both Guatemalan-born and from other countries, are victims of commercial sexual exploitation, including in sex tourism. (16,28) Guatemala is a destination country for child sex tourists from Canada, the United States, and Western Europe. (4,30) Departments with high numbers of commercial sexual exploitation victims include Alta Verapaz, Escuintla, Guatemala, Huehuetenango, Quiche, and Quetzaltenango. (14) Girls, LGBTQI+ persons, and indigenous Guatemalans are particularly vulnerable to human trafficking. (28) In addition, some children are forced to engage in street begging and vending in Guatemala City and along the border with Mexico. (29,30) Furthermore, multiple sources indicate that children are recruited into gangs to serve as lookouts, couriers, and drug dealers, or to commit extortion. Moreover, criminal organizations, including gangs, exploit girls in sex trafficking. (3,16,18)
Significant barriers to accessing education exist in Guatemala, particularly for girls, indigenous children, and children in rural areas. (3) Although education is free in Guatemala, there is an insufficient number of primary and secondary schools to accommodate all children. (18,33) A lack of teachers, transportation, textbooks, and sanitary facilities at public schools, as well as the long distances some children must travel to get to school, also create barriers to education. (12,13,34) Other barriers to education include sexual violence, insecurity, crime and violence in the school's surrounding areas, and the risk of suffering violence during travel to school. (12) The education system is also unable to address the needs of students with disabilities, and the few existing education programs for children with disabilities rely mainly on non-profit support. (3,14,18,24) In addition, girls in rural areas have lower enrollment rates in secondary school than boys, while indigenous children in general have lower enrollment rates compared to other children. (14,18,24,35,36) Furthermore, there are not enough qualified teachers to provide instruction in the predominant native languages, and classroom materials available in these languages are insufficient. (35-38)
Guatemala has ratified all key international conventions concerning child labor (Table 3).
| 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 Guatemala's legal framework to adequately protect children from the worst forms of child labor, including insufficient light work protections for children.
| Standard | Meets International Standards | Age | Legislation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Age for Work | Yes | 14 | Articles 31, 148 and 272 of the Labor Code; Article 6 of Government Accord 112-2006; Ministerial Agreement Number 260-2019 (39-41) |
| Minimum Age for Hazardous Work | Yes | 18 | Article 148 of the Labor Code; Article 1 of Government Accord 250-2006; Article 32 of Government Accord 112-2006 (39,40,42) |
| Identification of Hazardous Occupations or Activities Prohibited for Children | Yes | Article 4 of Ministerial Accord 154-2008 (43) | |
| Prohibition of Forced Labor | Yes | Article 202 and 202 ter of the Penal Code; Articles 2 and 51 of the Law of Integral Protection of Children and Adolescents (44,45) | |
| Prohibition of Child Trafficking | Yes | Article 202 ter and quater of the Penal Code (44) | |
| Prohibition of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children | Yes | Articles 191-194, 193 bis and ter, and 195 bis and ter of the Penal Code (44) | |
| Prohibition of Using Children in Illicit Activities | Yes | Articles 27, 306, and 307 of the Penal Code (44) | |
| Minimum Age for Voluntary State Military Recruitment | Yes | 18 | Articles 2 and 57 of the Law of Integral Protection of Children and Adolescents (45) |
| Prohibition of Compulsory Recruitment of Children by (State) Military | Yes | Articles 68 and 69 of the Constitutive Law of the Guatemalan Army (46) | |
| Prohibition of Military Recruitment by Non-state Armed Groups | No | Article 57 of the Law of Integral Protection of Children and Adolescents; Article 245 of the Constitution (45,47) | |
| Compulsory Education Age | Yes | 15‡ | Article 74 of the Constitution; Article 33 of the National Education Law; Ministerial Agreement 1055-2009 (47-49) |
| Free Public Education | Yes | Article 74 of the Constitution; Article 1 of Government Agreement 226-2008; Article 33 of the National Education Law (47,48,50) |
‡ Age calculated based on available information (47,51)
In March 2022, the government enacted Decree 11-2022, which amended the Penal Code to include the crime of facilitating sexual acts with a third party through the use of technology and increases penalties for this type of sexual exploitation from between 1 and 3 years to 6 to 12 years. (34,52) Although Articles 32 and 150 of the Labor Code allow the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare (MTPS) to authorize children under age 14 to work under exceptional circumstances—including if MTPS determines that children must work to support their family due to poverty—the law does not define the total number of hours, kinds of tasks, or age range applicable for this exception, which is inconsistent with international standards on light work. (39) However, the MTPS indicated that no such exceptions have been granted since 2016. (3,53,54) In addition, the MTPS previously approved Ministerial Agreement Number 260-2019, "Procedure for the effective application of Convention 138 of the International Labor Organization, regarding the Convention on the Minimum Age for Admission of Employment," which sets forth procedures for protecting adolescents between ages 15 and 18 from the worst forms of child labor. (18,41) However, the agreement does not explicitly cover children age 14, who are allowed to work under Guatemala's Labor Code (or children under age 14 who are allowed to work in exceptional circumstances). Therefore, it is unclear if this mechanism effectively raises the minimum age for work to age 15. (41) In addition, as the minimum age for work is lower than the compulsory education age, children may be encouraged to leave school before the completion of their compulsory education. (39-41,47-49)
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.
| Organization/Agency | Role & Activities |
|---|---|
| Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare’s (MTPS) Inspection Division | Enforces child labor laws, including prohibitions on the worst forms of child labor, by inspecting businesses and responding to child labor complaints. (18) Refers children found engaged in child labor to government social services, complaints of child labor to the MTPS Adolescent Workers Protection Unit, cases of the worst forms of child labor to the Secretariat Against Sexual Violence, Exploitation, and Trafficking in Persons (SVET), and unresolved cases to labor courts for review and sanctions, as appropriate. (12 55,56) |
| National Civil Police (PNC) | Investigate cases of child trafficking through the Trafficking in Persons and Forced Labor Unit located within the Special Investigation Police, and operate a hotline to receive reports of suspected child trafficking cases. Also conduct welfare inspections in child labor cases and refer cases to civil court. (12,18) |
| Public Ministry, Special Prosecutor's Office | Receives case referrals involving the worst forms of child labor from labor inspectors. Investigates cases of human trafficking and forced labor through the Special Prosecutor's Office Against Trafficking in Persons. (12) |
Labor Law Enforcement
In 2022, labor law enforcement agencies in Guatemala took actions to address child labor (Table 6). However, gaps exist within the operations of the MTPS that may hinder adequate labor law enforcement, including insufficient inspection planning.
| Overview of Labor Law Enforcement | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Labor Inspectorate Funding | $4.96 million (57) | $5.73 million (34) |
| Number of Labor Inspectors | 178 (12) | 152 (34) |
| Mechanism to Assess Civil Penalties | Yes (39) | Yes (39) |
| Training for Labor Inspectors Provided | Yes (12) | Yes (34) |
| Number of Labor Inspections Conducted at Worksite | Unknown (10,58) | 17,814 (54) |
| Number of Child Labor Violations Found | 16 (12) | 43 (34) |
| Number of Child Labor Violations for Which Penalties Were Imposed | 4 (12) | 15 (34) |
| Number of Child Labor Penalties Imposed that Were Collected | 0 (12) | 15 (34) |
| Routine Inspections Conducted | Yes (12) | Yes (34) |
| Routine Inspections Targeted | Yes (12) | Yes (34) |
| Unannounced Inspections Permitted | Yes (39) | Yes (39) |
| Unannounced Inspections Conducted | Yes (57) | Yes (34) |
| Complaint Mechanism Exists | Yes (12) | Yes (34) |
| Reciprocal Referral Mechanism Exists Between Labor Authorities and Social Services | Yes (12) | Yes (34) |
In 2022, the Labor Inspectorate expanded the number of specialized inspectors from 4 to 11 to cover human rights issues, including child labor. (34) The Inspectorate also hired an expert in childhood and adolescence to support the development of training materials for labor inspectors. (34) In addition, the Ministry of Labor's budget was increased in 2022, which allowed the ministry to purchase more vehicles for labor inspectors at the department level. (34) In June 2022, the government also launched a child labor training course for labor inspectors and administrative personnel from MTPS. The training course was developed with support from the Ministry of Labor of Costa Rica. (59)
Although laws governing the minimum age for work and hazardous work apply in both the formal and informal sectors, labor inspectors rarely inspect informal workplaces, in which child labor violations are most likely to occur. (3,14,18,24,54) The Ministry of Labor also does not routinely conduct unannounced inspections. (34,54) Research indicates that labor inspectors are not appropriately trained to perform inspections for child labor. (3,8,9,54) Furthermore, MTPS reported that inspectors conducted site visits in Spanish only, potentially hindering the effectiveness of these inspections when encountering indigenous language speakers. (14,54) Research also indicates that Guatemala does not have an adequate number of labor inspectors to carry out their mandated duties. (3,14,18,24,34,54,60,61) In addition, reports indicate that sometimes conciliations are being carried out in lieu of inspections and there are significant issues in the way conciliations are carried out in the country. (54,58) Reports have shown that in some conciliations, facts are not verified, workers have been coerced to accept partial benefits, and labor inspectors have received bribes. (10,58) Moreover, since many labor inspections are done by desk review instead of conducted at the worksite, fines are successfully challenged in court, leaving the government unable to collect penalties. (58) Reports also indicate that the government mechanism for filing child labor complaints is not efficient and coordination between agencies in cases of child labor is lacking and requires the intervention of NGOs or international donors. (3,18,24)
Criminal Law Enforcement
In 2022, criminal law enforcement agencies in Guatemala took actions to address child labor (Table 7). However, gaps exist within the operations of the National Civil Police that may hinder adequate criminal law enforcement, including insufficient training for criminal investigators.
| Overview of Criminal Law Enforcement | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Training for Criminal Investigators Provided | Yes (12) | Yes (34) |
| Number of Investigations | 201 (12) | 365 (34) |
| Number of Prosecutions Initiated | 19 (12) | 122 (34) |
| Number of Convictions | 38 (12) | 48 (34) |
| Imposed Penalties for Violations Related to the Worst Forms of Child Labor | Yes (12) | Yes (34) |
| Reciprocal Referral Mechanism Exists Between Criminal Authorities and Social Services | Yes (12) | Yes (34) |
The Public Ministry identified and removed 17 child victims of labor exploitation from January to October 2022 in coordination with the Solicitor General's Office and the Ministry of Labor. (34) The Office Against Trafficking in Persons also received 106 complaints related to the commercial sexual exploitation of minors, and 2 complaints related to the recruitment of minors by organized criminal groups. (34) Additionally, 48 individual defendants were convicted for child labor crimes such as trafficking in persons and child pornography between January and October 2022. (34) However, local NGOs indicate that training is insufficient for enforcement personnel outside the capital. (3,24) Law enforcement agencies also lack sufficient vehicles, fuel, and criminal investigators, particularly outside Guatemala City. (14,54) Other agencies within the government have also noted that resources are inadequate to carry out criminal investigations related to the worst forms of child labor. (3,12) Moreover, the Public Ministry noted that the Special Prosecutor's Office Against Human Trafficking does not have an assigned budget, as it is instead dependent on the overall budget allocated to the Public Ministry. (14)
Communities in rural areas continue to suffer from a lack of government services when compared to urban areas, including government assistance for survivors of the worst forms of child labor. (54)However, in order to improve the referral process for victims of crime, the Public Ministry established a messaging system to support communication between the different institutions that offer social services to survivors. (62) The government also operated specialized courts to hear cases of human trafficking of adults and children and gender-based violence. Despite this, judges are often unable to schedule hearings and trials in a timely manner, and officials often lack sufficient training to properly identify human trafficking cases and pursue trafficking charges. (29,30)
The government has established a key mechanism to coordinate its efforts to address child labor (Table 8). However, gaps exist that may hinder the effective coordination of efforts to address child labor, including lack of coordination between agencies and civil society.
| Coordinating Body | Role & Activities |
|---|---|
| Inter‐Institutional Coordinating Entity Against Labor Exploitation and Child Labor (CICELTI) | Aims to identify victims of human trafficking, make anti-trafficking in persons institutions more effective, and provide support to survivors to prevent them from being targeted again. Also coordinates efforts to address labor exploitation, forced labor, and child labor. (14) Launched in 2020 by MTPS, the Solicitor General's Office, the Public Ministry, and SVET. (14) In 2022, CICELTI received 55 complaints related to labor exploitation, forced labor, or the worst forms of child labor and added new members to support individuals rescued from labor exploitation, including the Ministry of Social Development (MIDES) and the Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance (MSPAS). (34) However, reports indicate that challenges remain related to the provision of social services for children due to the lack of coordination between government agencies. (10) |
‡ The government had other mechanisms that may have addressed child labor issues or had an impact on child labor. (43,63)
Despite improvements in inter-agency coordination to address human trafficking, there continues to be a lack of effective coordination among other government institutions and civil society actors who provide services and protection to survivors of child labor. Some civil society organizations have indicated that despite being members of the Inter-Institutional Commission Against Trafficking in Persons (CIT), the commission is not fully inclusive of civil society perspectives, and these organizations participate on the commission primarily as observers. (29) Furthermore, reporting indicates that the Secretariat Against Sexual Violence, Exploitation, and Trafficking in Persons (SVET) lacks political support from other parts of the government and its small budget limits its reach beyond urban areas, even though it plays a significant role in addressing human trafficking in Guatemala. (29)
The government has established policies related to child labor (Table 9). However, policy gaps exist that may hinder efforts to address child labor, including a lack of implementation of key national policies.
| Policy | Description & Activities |
|---|---|
| Comprehensive Health Care Protocol with Cultural Relevance for Children and Adolescents in Situations of Child Labor and its Worst Forms | Requires public health workers to enter information into a database about any child whose injuries may have been labor-related. Implemented by the Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance (MSPAS). (64,65) In 2022, the government continued implementing this policy, however reporting indicates that the government was in the process of updating it during the reporting period. (54) |
| Inter-Institutional Protocol for the Protection and Attention of Victims of Human Trafficking | Provides instruction on how to process sex crimes, including commercial sexual exploitation of children, and how to assist suspected victims of human trafficking. (43) Research was unable to determine whether activities were undertaken to implement this policy during the reporting period. |
| Public Policy on Human Trafficking and the Comprehensive Protection of Victims (2014–2024) | Aims to guarantee protection for and comprehensive attention to human trafficking survivors, and promote prevention, detection, prosecution, and sanction of this crime. Includes a National Plan of Strategic Action that directs the government's actions on preventing and addressing human trafficking. (66) Reports indicate that the government was updating this policy in 2022. (54) |
In 2022, 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 inadequate efforts to address child labor in all sectors.
| Program | Description & Activities |
|---|---|
| Business Network for the Prevention and Elimination of Child Labor in Guatemala (Red Empresarial) | Aims to promote the prevention and eradication of child labor. Members include the Ministries of Education and Agriculture, MTPS, the Thematic Working Group for the Prevention and Eradication of Child Labor, ILO, UNICEF, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, and representatives from the private sector. (67) Reports indicate that this program was active in 2022, and continued to implement a variety of health, nutrition, education, and awareness programs in agricultural sectors. (54) |
| Ministry of Development's Social Poverty Reducing Programs† | Conditional Cash Transfer for Education and Health Program (Mi Bono Social) provides cash assistance to families with school-age children, conditioned on children's school attendance. (24) Similarly, the Conditional Cash Transfers for Food Assistance Program (Mi Bolsa Social) provides food assistance to poor families, with the requirement that their children attend school. (24,68) Social Dining Hall (Mi Comedor Social) provides access to food for people in situations of poverty, crisis, and emergency, including children. (14,68) Reporting indicates that all of these programs remained active in 2022, and that the government increased its budget allocations for all of them. (54) The Social Dining Hall Program received a budget increase of 61 percent, while the Conditional Cash Transfer for Education and Health Program received an increase of 18.9 percent. Lastly, the Conditional Cash Transfer Program for Food Assistance received a 5.6 percent increase. (54) |
| Mobile Units for the Prevention of Sexual Violence, Exploitation and Human Trafficking (UNIVET) | Established by SVET, with support from UNHCR. Consists of a fleet of seven vehicles that travel to areas in the country with little national government presence, with the aim of preventing and creating awareness about crimes related to exploitation, trafficking in persons, and sexual violence. (57,62,69) Carry out detection and awareness trainings on trafficking in persons within rural and often remote communities. (62) Provide information to survivors of crimes of trafficking in persons, but does not have authority to accept complaints or make referrals. Funded through bilateral and multilateral donors. (54,62) In 2022, the awareness trainings reached a total of 132,296 people, including 95,547 children and adolescents in 20 Departments and 163 municipalities. These awareness trainings included information sessions at schools about cybersecurity, how to avoid being targeted for crimes in cyberspace, and the available means to file complaints.(70,71) |
For information about USDOL’s projects to address child labor around the world, visit https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/ilab-project-page-search
† Program is funded by the Government of Guatemala.
‡ The government had other social programs that may have included the goal of eliminating or preventing child labor. (12,27,29,62,64)
During the reporting period, the Government of Guatemala continued implementation of the Child Labor Risk Identification Model (MIRTI) through its pilot in the Municipality of San Pedro Sacatepequez. This model was originally implemented with funding from the U.S. Department of Labor. (34) The government also relaunched the "Protecting our Greatest Treasure" media campaign to raise awareness on protecting children and adolescents from sexual exploitation and human trafficking in the travel and tourism sector, which reached 6,900 people. (34,72) However, reporting indicates that SVET and the Office of the Human Rights Ombudsman fail to regularly monitor the effectiveness of awareness campaigns beyond tracking the number of individuals reached. (29) In addition, given the scope and magnitude of the problem, the programs described are not sufficient to significantly reduce the incidence of child labor. (12) Civil society organizations also indicate that social programs are inadequately funded, susceptible to local political influences, and fail to reach the rural interior of the country outside urban areas. (3,14,18) Although the government has implemented programs to assist children and families, research found no evidence of government programs specifically designed to assist children engaged in hazardous work, including those in agriculture and domestic work. (54)
Conditions in government-run children's shelters are also not adequate, and the government has not ensured the protection and safety of children under its care. In addition, the environment for the implementation of social programs that address child labor remains unsafe in some areas. The government has done little to investigate or prevent further instances of threats, intimidation, and violence—such as the murders of individuals working in social programs, including NGO officials, human rights workers, judges, and labor activists. (29,54)
Based on the reporting above, suggested actions are identified that would advance the elimination of child labor in Guatemala (Table 11).
| Area | Suggested Action | Year(s) Suggested |
|---|---|---|
| Legal Framework | Criminally prohibit the recruitment of children under age 18 into non-state armed groups. | 2016 – 2022 |
| Eliminate the exception allowing some children under age 14 to work, or establish a light work framework for children ages 12 to 14 outlining restrictions on working conditions, type of work, and number of hours of work permitted. | 2010 – 2022 | |
| Clarify whether Ministerial Agreement 260-2019 raises the minimum working age to 15. | 2019 – 2022 | |
| Raise the minimum age for work from age 14 to 15 to align with the compulsory education age. | 2022 | |
| Enforcement | Ensure that inspectors carry out inspections in the informal sector, an area in which child labor is known to occur. | 2018 – 2022 |
| Improve the quality of inspections by ensuring that inspectors receive effective training, dedicate the necessary time to carry out more comprehensive inspections, and routinely carry out unannounced labor inspections. | 2017 – 2022 | |
| Ensure that labor inspectors are able to communicate with indigenous language speakers, including those who may be underage, to adequately conduct inspections for child labor violations. | 2020 – 2022 | |
| Increase the number of labor inspectors from 152 to 484 to ensure adequate coverage of the labor force of 7.3 million people. | 2015 – 2022 | |
| Strengthen the Labor Inspectorate to include more on-site investigations of worksites. | 2021 – 2022 | |
| Ensure that conciliations are properly conducted and in accordance with the labor code. | 2021 – 2022 | |
| Improve effectiveness of child labor complaint and referral mechanisms to ensure timely responses to complaints. | 2018 – 2022 | |
| Ensure that fines for labor violations are collected. | 2019 – 2022 | |
| Dedicate more staff and train criminal law enforcement officials, particularly those outside the capital, on laws related to the worst forms of child labor. | 2013 – 2022 | |
| Ensure that hearings and trials addressing human trafficking and gender-based violence in specialized courts are scheduled in a timely manner and that judges and officials are trained in trafficking in persons concepts. | 2016 – 2022 | |
| Ensure that criminal investigators have sufficient resources and staff to conduct quality criminal investigations in all geographical areas of the country, such as assigning a budget specifically to the Special Prosecutor's Office Against Human Trafficking. | 2009 – 2022 | |
| Coordination | Strengthen coordination efforts to institutionalize relationships between civil society representatives and government agencies that provide services to survivors of child labor. | 2013 – 2022 |
| Ensure that the Secretariat Against Sexual Violence, Exploitation, and Trafficking in Persons has the resources, authority, and political support necessary to combat human trafficking countrywide. | 2019 – 2022 | |
| Government Policies | Ensure that activities are undertaken to implement key policies related to child labor and that data on these activities to address child labor are published during the reporting period. | 2017 – 2022 |
| Social Programs | Remove barriers to education for all children, including girls and indigenous children, children with disabilities, and children living in rural areas, by recruiting and training more qualified teachers, providing instruction in indigenous languages, building additional schools with appropriate facilities, increasing security, providing textbooks to all public schools, and removing school fees and transportation costs. | 2015 – 2022 |
| Ensure that children removed from child labor and exploitation situations are provided with adequate social services. | 2021 – 2022 | |
| Ensure that social programs are implemented, well-funded, able to carry out their objectives, and reach populations outside urban centers, and report on yearly activities. | 2018 – 2022 | |
| Initiate social programs to address child labor in agriculture and domestic work, and for children who perform other types of hazardous work. | 2009 – 2022 | |
| Regularly monitor the effectiveness and impact of social programs such as awareness campaigns beyond the number of citizens reached. | 2017 – 2022 | |
| Ensure high standards of safety and care for children in government-run shelters. | 2016 – 2022 | |
| Ensure the safety of NGO officials, human rights workers, judges, and labor activists to facilitate a secure environment for the implementation of social programs that address and prevent child labor. | 2017 – 2022 |
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes (%). Accessed March 15, 2023. For more information, please see "Children's Work and Education Statistics: Sources and Definitions" in the Reference Materials section of this report.
http://data.uis.unesco.org/ - ILO. Analysis of Child Economic Activity and School Attendance Statistics from National Household or Child Labor Surveys. Original data from Encuesta Nacional de Empleo e Ingreso I (ENEI I), 2021. Analysis received March 2023. Please see “Children's Work and Education Statistics: Sources and Definitions” in the Reference Materials section of this report.
- U.S. Embassy- Guatemala City. Reporting. February 28, 2019.
- U.S. Department of State. Trafficking in Persons Report- 2020: Guatemala. Washington, D.C., June 25, 2020.
https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-trafficking-in-persons-report/guatemala/ - Human Rights Ombudsman (PDH) official. Interview with USDOL official. April 4, 2018.
- NGO official. Interview with USDOL official (A). April 2, 2018.
- Save the Children official. Interview with USDOL official. April 3, 2018.
- UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights official. Interview with USDOL official. April 6, 2018.
- NGO official. Interview with USDOL official (B). April 2, 2018.
- U.S. Embassy- Guatemala City official. E-mail communication to USDOL official. December 9, 2021.
- Abbott, Jeff. The Other Americans: Child Labor, the Backbone of the Guatemalan Economy. The Progressive Magazine. February 2, 2022.
https://progressive.org/latest/child-labor-backbone-of-guatemala-abbott-220202/ - U.S. Embassy- Guatemala City. Reporting (A). January 13, 2022.
- U.S. Embassy- Guatemala City. Reporting (B). January 13, 2022.
- U.S. Embassy- Guatemala City. Reporting. January 15, 2021.
- Primer Impacto. Niños Trabajan Rompiendo Piedras: el Día a Día de Estos Pequeños que Ayudan a sus Familias. Univision. December 3, 2020.
https://www.univision.com/shows/primer-impacto/ninos-trabajan-rompiendo-piedras-el-dia-a-dia-de-estos-pequenos-que-ayudan-a-sus-familias-video - U.S. Department of State. Trafficking in Persons Report- 2019: Guatemala. Washington, D.C., June 20, 2019.
https://www.state.gov/reports/2019-trafficking-in-persons-report-2/guatemala/ - SVET official. Interview with USDOL official. April 3, 2018.
- U.S. Embassy- Guatemala City. Reporting. February 10, 2020.
- El Periodico. Rescatan a Cuatro Menores por Explotación Laboral en San Pedro Sacatepéquez, San Marcos. February 11, 2022. Source on file.
- El Periodico. Graban a Agentes de la PMT de Técpan Pidiendo Dinero a Niños Lustradores. October 19, 2021. Source on file.
- Canal Antigua. Trabajo Infantil continúa en Aumento en el Departamento de Quetzaltenango. July 28, 2022.
https://canalantigua.tv/2022/07/28/trabajo-infantil-continua-en-aumento-en-el-departamento-de-quetzaltenango/ - Canal Antigua. En al Menos 100 Tortillerías Laboran Menores de Edad Indígenas, Explica Estudio. October 2, 2021.
https://canalantigua.tv/2021/10/02/en-al-menos-100-tortillerias-laboran-menores-de-edad-indigenas/ - TN23 Guatemala. Niño Estudia y Trabaja Lustrando Zapatos a Domicilio. October 11, 2018.
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https://www.ohchr.org/en/documents/country-reports/ahrc3917add3-report-special-rapporteur-rights-indigenous-peoples-her - Jacir de Lovo, Evelyn. Brechas de Acceso a la Educación en Guatemala: Transformación Educativa para la Igualdad, con Ènfasis en las Poblaciones Rurales y los Pueblos Indígenas. Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. October 2022.
https://repositorio.cepal.org/bitstream/handle/11362/48360/S2200956_es.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y - Vergara Fregoso, Martha. De la Educación Indígena a la Educación Intercultural En México, Colombia y Guatemala: Debates, Reflexiones y Retos. Utopía Y Praxis Latinoamericana 26 (95), 11-24. August 11, 2021.
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https://www.mintrabajo.gob.gt/images/Documentacion/Acuerdos_Ministeriales/2019/Acuerdo_Ministerial_260-2019.pdf - Government of Guatemala. Acuerdo Gubernativo No. 250-2006. Enacted: May 18, 2006.
http://www2.congreso.gob.pe/Sicr/Comisiones/2007/ComRevNinAdo.nsf/34069c3bb71c123b05256f470062fea7/04BDED74D31FD9F3052574640067D12D/$FILE/GuatemalaAcuerdoGubernativo250Convenio182.pdf - Government of Guatemala. Intrainstitutional Protocol, No. 154-2008. Enacted 2008. Source on file.
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http://pdba.georgetown.edu/Constitutions/Guate/guate93.html - Government of Guatemala. Ley de Educación Nacional, Decreto Legislativo No. 12-9. Enacted: January 12, 1991.
https://siteal.iiep.unesco.org/sites/default/files/sit_accion_files/siteal_guatemala_0739.pdf - Government of Guatemala. Acuerdo Ministerial, No. 1055. Enacted: 2009.
https://www.scribd.com/document/135515861/ACUERDO-1055-2009 - Government of Guatemala. Acuerdo Gubernativo, No. 226-2008. Enacted: 2008. Source on file.
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https://www.mintrabajo.gob.gt/index.php/noticias/389-inspectores-de-trabajo-inician-diplomado-sobre-trabajo-infantil-y-adolescente - ILOSTAT. ILO Labor Force Statistics (LFS) – Population and labour force. Accessed (January 31, 2023). Labor force data is government-reported data collected by the ILO. Please see "Labor Law Enforcement: Sources and Definitions" in the Reference Materials section of this report.
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https://www.un-ilibrary.org/content/books/9789210054980/read - U.S. Embassy- Guatemala City. Reporting. March 15, 2022.
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https://www.camaradelagro.org//wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2017/12/Declaración-Red-Empresarial-Contra-el-Trabajo-Infantil.pdf - MIDES official. E-mail communication to USDOL official. May 3, 2018.
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https://www.acnur.org/noticias/news-releases/guatemala-con-unidades-moviles-se-busca-prevenir-la-violencia-sexual - Villagrán, Wendi. Univet Llegó a Más de 132 Mil Personas. Diario de Centro América. January 23, 2023.
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