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ChildLabour
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Labour that
is physically,
mentally or
psychologically
damaging and
deprives a
child of proper
education. In its
WORST forms,
this work
exposes a child
to danger, injury
or death. It can
also mean
slavery and
trafficking.
SHOPPING FUELS THE ECONOMY, BUT CANADIANS NEED TO KNOW
THAT OUR RETAIL SUPPLY CHAINS ARE FREE OF CHILD LABOUR.
WE ARE A NATION OF CONSUMERS: We have a must-have mindset, whether
we’re shopping for strawberries in February or for the cheapest and hottest jeans,
newest kicks or super-cool cell phone. But let’s think about buying less and being more
mindful shoppers. After all, our dollars are powerful and have potential to create
powerful change.
SUPER SALE: In 2013, Canadians imported $10 billion worth of clothing,
increasingly from developing countries where child labour is a reality:
$4.4 billion from China; $1 billion from Bangladesh, and $600 million from
Cambodia. Factor in shoe sales and retail markups, and you have almost
$20 billion spent in this category alone.
Our shopping enthusiasm is growing: Publically available trade data from
government sources shows steadily increasing imports from developing countries
that may employ children. These laboring children, caught in a cycle of extreme
poverty, accept lower pay rates than adults.
OUR HOPE: Tracing child labour in products we buy is difficult. That’s why
World Vision believes in supply-chain transparency for all goods sold in Canada.
With that visibility, there is opportunity to identify where child labour has been
involved, whether in producing or processing tank tops or tech tablets, tea or tomatoes.1
We should also be encouraged to know that importing goods from developing
countries can indeed be a pathway to sustainable economic development and a
long-term solution for poverty-stricken communities. Our concern is that there may be
child labour involved in the production and supply of some of these imported goods
which puts children’s lives and futures at risk.
We want all Canadians to be involved in actions to help reduce the number of
children involved in child labour around the globe, and to help ensure that all children
are protected, have good health, access to nutritious food and are able go to school.
Together, we can work to create change.
List of Goods Produced by Child Labour or Forced Labour. United States Department of Labour, December 2014.
http://www.dol.gov/ilab/reports/pdf/TVPRA_Report2014.pdf
Canadian Imports that may involve child labour include: Mexico: chile peppers, coffee, cucumbers, eggplants, green
beans, melons, onions, sugarcane, tomatoes; Guatemala: broccoli, coffee, corn, sugarcane; El Salvador: sugarcane;
Bangladesh: garments, shrimp, textiles; China: electronics, textiles, toys; Thailand: garments, shrimp; Cambodia: textiles;
Vietnam: garments.
771%
Increase in tomato imports from Guatemala
(2009-2013). Mexico’s import value increased
by 41%. Mexico is the No.1 exporter of tomatoes to
Canada; Guatemala, No.3.
#NOCHILDFORSALE / WWW.NOCHILDFORSALE.CA
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ChildLabour
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SHOPPING FUELS THE ECONOMY, BUT CANADIANS NEED TO KNOW
THAT OUR RETAIL SUPPLY CHAINS ARE FREE OF CHILD LABOUR.
$512,033 BILLION:
annual sugar imports to Canada. Imports from
El Salvador and Mexico rose 200%+ (2009-2013).
Guatemala, El Salvador and Mexico are in the
top five countries that export sugar to Canada;
the United States is No.1.
FOOTWEAR EXPORTS FROM
CAMBODIA TO CANADA HAVE
SKYROCKETED BY THIS
ASTRONOMICAL RATE IN
THE PAST FIVE YEARS
(2009-2013).
2368%
#NOCHILDFORSALE / WWW.NOCHILDFORSALE.CA
FACT: Canadian imports
of mobile phones/
handsets more than
doubled (2009-2013).
China and Mexico are
No. 1 and 2 suppliers.
REALITY: Concerns exist
related to child labour
in mining of minerals
(ie. in the DRC and
Niger) used to make
component parts of
phones.
ChildLabour
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SHOPPING FUELS THE ECONOMY, BUT CANADIANS NEED TO KNOW
THAT OUR RETAIL SUPPLY CHAINS ARE FREE OF CHILD LABOUR.
,
,
168000000
THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN AROUND THE WORLD ENGAGED IN CHILD LABOUR
susususususususususususususu
85,000,000
ARE INVOLVED IN THE WORST
FORMS OF CHILD LABOUR
Almost
50% of the
shrimp
imported to
Canada is
from
Thailand
and
Vietnam.
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2009 T ED BY 23%
INCREAS
#NOCHILDFORSALE / WWW.NOCHILDFORSALE.CA