Case Study Brief Child Labour in Supply chains.Child labour in supply chains affects up to 168 million children globally. Businesseswhich are more likely to have child labour present in their supply chains range fromagriculture to manufacturing, services and construction. Typically, rural areas andinformal parts of the economy in developing countries where governments lack thenecessary resources … Continue reading “Child Labour in Supply chains | My Assignment Tutor”
Case Study Brief Child Labour in Supply chains.Child labour in supply chains affects up to 168 million children globally. Businesseswhich are more likely to have child labour present in their supply chains range fromagriculture to manufacturing, services and construction. Typically, rural areas andinformal parts of the economy in developing countries where governments lack thenecessary resources and infrastructure to legally check and enforce existing labourlaws or health/safety regulations. Both the size and complexity of modern-day globalsupply chains means that it can be hard to protect vulnerable children and adults atgreatest risk of exploitation despite child labour being outlawed in every majorauthority in the world. For instance, the International Labour Organisation in 2016estimated that one in ten children take part in some form of child labour globally. Thisissue is harder to address because of the presence of trafficking networks which oftenprey on the vulnerability of young children when trafficking them within and acrossnational borders as modern-day slaves expected to work long hours in hazardousworking conditions.Not all forms of child labour is deemed hazardous to the physical social and emotionalwellbeing of children. The international community, governments and businesses havefocused on ending the most hazardous forms of child labour from global supply chains.Indeed, many government businesses and activists involved in this issue also highlightthe potential benefits of child labour in a socio-economic situation where is widespreadpoverty and lack of access to education. On this basis organisations such as theInternational Labour Organisation have distinguished between hazardous and nonhazardous forms of child labour. Child Labour considered detrimental to children isdefined as that which is “mentally, physically, socially and morally dangerous tochildren” and that which ‘interferes with their schooling” (ibid). Beyond this generaldefinition of child labour and its potential effects the International Labour Organisationalso prioritises the ‘most harmful forms of child labour’ as those which requireimmediate elimination from supply chains. These include “children being enslaved,separated from their families, exposed to serious hazards and illnesses and/or left tofend for themselves on the streets of large cities – often at a very early age” (ibid).According to the International Labour Organisation the difference between work andchild labour “depends on the child’s age, the type and hours of work performed, theconditions under which it is performed” (ibid).Defining what is or is not child labour is critical to deciding what actions governmentsbusiness and the international community need to end exploitative business or labourpractices which economically benefits from the use of child labour. An even greaterchallenge is taking effective action to eliminate the most hazardous forms of childlabour from global supply chains that are ever more complex and open. Thismonitoring and enforcement challenge is also affected by the difficulties governmentsand businesses face in enforcing existing laws banning the use of child labour incountries where there is endemic poverty, corruption between buyers and sellers ofgoods in supply chains and state officials, internal state conflict creating law and orderissues, and the inability to resource primary/secondary education initiatives.The International Labour Organisations definition of Child Labour also shows that notall children who work are engaged in child labour. Children can benefit from workopportunities so long as it is not affecting their mental and physical development. Andunder the right conditions some work can offer opportunities for mental, physical andsocial development.Negative Impact of Child Labour include:EducationalIf children have to work long hours instead of going to school this can have aconsiderable impact on their future development and ability to access education andeconomic opportunities in the future.Health and Well beingMillions of children must work long hours in hazardous conditions working in whichthey risk being injured without the possibility of receiving adequate medicaltreatment. Child labourer are therefore also likely to suffer long-term health problemscaused by malnutrition, exposure to chemicals, abuse, and exhaustion. Childrenengaged in child labour can also suffer serious psychological harm which furthereffects on the ability to successfully complete their schooling.The socio-economic case for not banning all forms of child labourOne argument in favour of child labour is that in communities where there are highlevels of family poverty, a child’s income can provide additional resources for foodand shelter. If this income stream is removed from impoverished families andcommunities, without it being replaced by welfare or food/shelter aid, the socioeconomic plight of these families is likely to worsen. This increased poverty is alsolikely to leave child labourers and their families open to even greater exploitation.The challenge of monitoring and enforcing existing restrictions on the use of childlabour in supply chains.A barrier to effective enforcement of existing child labour laws is the complexity ofmodern-day supply chains. For instance, in a recent Guardian article discussing thepresence of child labour in garment supply chains observed “Companies that selltheir products in Europe and the US have no clue where the textiles come from.Maybe they know their first supplier and there are codes of conduct in place, butfurther down the chain in the lower tiers it is very difficult to understand where thecotton comes from” (https://labs.theguardian.com/unicef-child-labour/).Furthermore, as observed earlier, severe poverty and financial hardship can alsoleave families and children open to exploitation. This can mean that the challenge ofmonitoring and enforcement of existing child labour regulations can be even greatergiven the dependence of families on this income source.CLASS DISCUSSION (FORMATIVE/NOT ASSESSED)Child labour is better than living in poverty. Discuss (Take Place in Week 9)This topic examines the issues of child labour and poverty is child labour justified incircumstances of extreme poverty? if a child’s wage is helping their family buy foodor access shelter, health care and education is their working a good thing? What ifthat work is a risk to their long term physical or social development? What are theconsequences of a child labour? Can child labour help families and communitiesthemselves out of poverty?Using the information sources below be prepared to discuss some or all ofthese questions:In what circumstances can working be beneficial to children?Can child labour help children and their families escape poverty? Can you find someexamples?Can child labour keep a child and their family in poverty? How? What are the longterm effects that child labour can have on a child and its family?Consider the social, economic, mental and physical effects.How might increasing trade openness (i.e., the ability to transport goods acrossnational borders) make it harder to trace and monitor the use of child labour incomplex global supply chains?Who should be responsible for child labour in supply chains?A. Families who sell their children to farmers or miners of raw materialB. Governments and business who do not check and enforce existing childlabour laws.C. Businesses who do not check/enforce international norms and standardsbanning the use of child labour in their supply chains.D. Consumers who buy low-cost goods from developing countries wherechild labour is used in to extract raw materials and, in the manufacturing,production process.E. The international communityF. Some or all the aboveWhat might be some of the social economic legal and organisational challenges ofenforcing a complete or partial ban on child labour?Imagine you had to find potential solutions to resolve the issue of child labour insupply chains. What solutions might you propose and why?Further reading and resourcesNews Sources:• BBC News: International Labour Organisation (ILO) Child labour preventsdevelopment. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3451117.stm• The Express Tribune: Connection between child labour and minimum wagehttps://tribune.com.pk/story/30458/connection-between-child-labour-minimumwage• The New York Times Newt’s war on poor childrenhttps://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/03/opinion/blow-newts-war-on-poorchildren.html• United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF): Press release: Child labour robschildren ofchildhood, impedes developmenthttps://www.unicef.org/media/media_34504.htmlReports, Papers and Web Resources:• Children at work: https://www.unhcr.org/FutureOfSyria/children-at-work.html• Organization of the United Nations (FOA): Sustainable Agriculture RuralDevelopment and Child Labour http://www.fao.org/3/ca9502en/CA9502EN.pdf• Transparency One: Tackling Child Labor in Global Supply Chainshttps://www.transparency-one.com/tackling-child-labor-in-global-supplychains/• UNICEF: Understanding Global Supply Chains and Fundamental Right:https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—ed_norm/–ipec/documents/publication/wcms_743417.pdf •UNICEF: Childrens Rights in the Garment and Footwear Supply Chainfile:///E:/Childrens-rights-in-the-garment-and-footwear-supply-chain-2020.PDF • UNICEF & Manchester Guardian: Child Labour in the fashion supply chain:where, why & what can be done? https://labs.theguardian.com/unicef-childlabour/• Alliance: Global Estimates of Child Labourhttps://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/@dgreports/@dcomm/documents/publication/wcms_575541.pdf• University of Minnesota: Should Child Labour Be Eliminated? A HRDPerspectivehttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/258850057_CHILD_LABOUR_AN_ALTERNATE_PERSPECTIVE• What is Child Labour: http://www.ilo.org/ipec/facts/lang–en/index.htm• United Nations resources for speakers on global issues: Child labourhttp://www.un.org/en/globalissues/briefingpapers/childlabour/index.shtmlWorld Day Against Child Labourhttp://www.ilo.org/ipec/Campaignandadvocacy/wdacl/2012/lang–en/index.htm• World Health Organization (WHO): Occupational Health: Hazardous ChildLabour http://www.who.int/occupational_health/topics/childlabour/en/Assessment 1 Part B – Case Study Individual Report(Submit Week 14)Compare the arguments for and against banning all forms of child labour in supplychains (1000 words)This assessment will take place in week 14 of the module.You will submit a 1000 word report on the case study you worked on from assessmentpart B. The report is to be completed individually; you will use the research and feedbackfrom assessment part B and build on that with further research for this part of theassessment. The text must be organised in a report format and all sources used in yourreport must be correctly cited and referenced using Harvard Referencing conventions; aminimum of 5 sources are required. There will be opportunities to obtain feedback ondraft reports before submission in week 14.The report title will be uploaded to Blackboard in week 14.The report should contain:Cover page with name, title of the report, student ID and word countContents pageMain body of text with appropriate headings and subheadingsRecommendationsReferencesAppendices (optional)Weighting: 70%Learning Outcomes assessed:• LO1: To construct an argument in an academic context• LO2: To position yourself within an argument• LO3: To apply a range of academic skills and techniques to a real case scenarioFurther reading and resourcesNews Sources:• BBC News: International Labour Organisation (ILO) Child labour preventsdevelopment. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3451117.stm• The Express Tribune: Connection between child labour and minimum wagehttps://tribune.com.pk/story/30458/connection-between-child-labour-minimumwage• The New York Times Newt’s war on poor childrenhttps://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/03/opinion/blow-newts-war-on-poorchildren.html• United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF): Press release: Child labour robschildren ofchildhood, impedes developmenthttps://www.unicef.org/media/media_34504.htmlReports, Papers and Web Resources:• Children at work: https://www.unhcr.org/FutureOfSyria/children-at-work.html• Organization of the United Nations (FOA): Sustainable Agriculture RuralDevelopment and Child Labour http://www.fao.org/3/ca9502en/CA9502EN.pdf• Transparency One: Tackling Child Labor in Global Supply Chainshttps://www.transparency-one.com/tackling-child-labor-in-global-supplychains/• UNICEF: Understanding Global Supply Chains and Fundamental Right:https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—ed_norm/–ipec/documents/publication/wcms_743417.pdf •UNICEF: Childrens Rights in the Garment and Footwear Supply Chainfile:///E:/Childrens-rights-in-the-garment-and-footwear-supply-chain-2020.PDF • UNICEF & Manchester Guardian: Child Labour in the fashion supply chain:where, why & what can be done? https://labs.theguardian.com/unicef-childlabour/• Alliance: Global Estimates of Child Labourhttps://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/@dgreports/@dcomm/documents/publication/wcms_575541.pdf• University of Minnesota: Should Child Labour Be Eliminated? A HRDPerspectivehttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/258850057_CHILD_LABOUR_AN_ALTERNATE_PERSPECTIVE• What is Child Labour: http://www.ilo.org/ipec/facts/lang–en/index.htm• United Nations resources for speakers on global issues: Child labourhttp://www.un.org/en/globalissues/briefingpapers/childlabour/index.shtmlWorld Day Against Child Labourhttp://www.ilo.org/ipec/Campaignandadvocacy/wdacl/2012/lang–en/index.htm• World Health Organization (WHO): Occupational Health: Hazardous ChildLabour http://www.who.int/occupational_health/topics/childlabour/en/
