International Center on Child Labor and Education (ICCLE)

Kayla and Kristen, 14, Massachusetts, USA

Well it's over for this year!!! Twenty-seven Broad Meadows Middle School students 
have gone on a "Day-Before-Thanksgiving" Child-labor-free shopping trip at our 
biggest Mall!!!  So, I bet you're wondering what happened?? Well, we broke into our 
groups of three as explained previously, and headed off to interview the store 
managers on our lists.  We met F2F with 102 store managers to introduce ourselves 
and then ask our one big question: "Can you guarantee that every item sold in 
this store is guaranteed "child-labor-free"? 

1. Some of the store managers didn't even know what child labor was!! Seriously! 
We actually got answers like "What's that?" and "You think MY store has that stuff 
going on?!" We even had one manager say they did have products made by child 
labor!!  

2. One VERY popular store denied that their trendy clothes were made in 
sweatshops, but then that manager told us that his two biggest competitors 
DEFINITELY had sweatshop made clothing for sale.  

3. Not one single manager could produce their corporate "Workers' Code of 
Conduct."  Some managers said they had one, but we never saw a single one. Most  
did not know what a workers' code of conduct is.  

4. We did get kicked out of two stores as soon as we said the "child labor" words. 

5. A few refused to discuss child labor with us saying, "We are not allowed to discuss 
that issue." 

Statistics: 

We visited 102 stores (clothing, food court, sports, electronics, etc.) in 3 
hours. Each team of three students had a different list of stores. We did that so we 
wouldn't miss any store or visit the same store over and over. 

* 51 store managers said:  "I have no idea" or "I really do not know." 

* 25 store managers said:  "There is nothing in this store made by children." 
However, when we asked for the "Workers' Code of Conduct" to see exactly 
how the store guarantees their goods are child-labor-free, none could show us 
anything. Are we supposed to just take their word? 

* 12 gave answers like:  "What's child labor?"  Are adults in this country really that 
ignorant about sweatshops and child labor? 

* 2 said:  "Yes, we must be selling things made by children."  When we asked them 
how that made them feel they said: "Bad." 

* 2 kicked us out after we asked the question. We are shopping for knowledge, 
not trouble. We practiced what to do if a manager got aggressive. We just 
left. We won't shop there EVER! 

* 10 gave random answers like they were comedians. We didn't think it was  
right to joke about child labor. 

Well it was a brutal 4 hours, but our "operation Day's Work" group is strong, and we 
made it through. In fact, after we got back, we still wanted to know if those 
stores who did not know indeed had child labor, or not. So myself and 5 others 
got together, broke out our lists and called the stores' corporate headquarters 
or home office.  

Some listened to us. Many promised they would fax or snail mail to us a copy of 
their "Workers' Code of Conduct." That was three weeks ago. We haven't received a 
single one yet. 

Now, it is up to you, the one reading this summary. What do you think you can 
do to help us on the journey to a child labor free world?? Contact us!! Here's 
the following address:
Operation Day's Work Student Group                                        
Broad Meadows Middle School 
50 Calvin Road
Quincy Massachusetts, 02169 

email:  endchlabor@AOL.com 

Thank you for reading this!!!     

Kayla and Kristen  
O.D.W. / MA, USA           

Maura, 15, New York, USA

On November 23 I received a phone call from the head of the Rotary Exchange 
Program in Syracuse, New York. I had been anticipating this phone call for about 2 
weeks, ever since I sent in my application to spend my 11th grade of high school 
abroad (I am in 10th grade this year) and endured a two hour grueling interview, 
answering questions from what's my favorite color to what was the hardest decision 
I have ever made. My top five countries to spend my year abroad in were, India, 
Thailand, Taiwan, Ecuador, and Brazil. India was my top choice though. Ever since I 
was in 7th grade I had dreamed of going to India for my 11th grade year.

When I picked up the phone, the man told me that I had been chosen to go to India 
for approximately 10 months (my whole 11th grade year). I am so excited! Forty 
other youth from district (Syracuse, NY and its surrounding areas) will also be 
traveling abroad next year but I am the only one going to India. Most of the other 
youth will be traveling to Europe.

I will live with 3 different host families for 3 months each. I will attend high school 
for the 10 months that I am there. This year I will have to attend many culture 
orientation sessions to prepare me for my year in India. I will also be taking intense 
language courses depending on what part of India I am placed in. I am very excited 
and can't wait to learn so much!

Anonymous, 12, Iowa, USA

Look into your closet. 
Come on, I dare you.
Good job. Now, what do you see?
Clothes? Fashion statements? A way to boost your popularity?
I see the toil of children around the world.

Straight from the laundry ~ so it’s clean, right?
Wrong. They are filthy with the fingerprints of the youth who made them.

Pick out your favorites.
Good. Now you’re ready to go.
Uh oh ~ your tag is sticking out.
I see you’re tucking it inside or cutting it off.
I am reading it. ‘Made in Thailand.’

Now you’re off to school. 
Oh, you don’t want to go?
If only the children who lived and died to unknowingly serve you had had your 
opportunities.
If only it was that simple.
If only it was that simple.

Becca, 12, Iowa, USA

Child labor is something that plagues many of the world’s children. I am one of many 
people in a youth group formed to end child labor, CHILD (Children Helping Innocent 
Laborers Democratically.) I am just one of the many who care.

My feelings concerning child labor are strong; I oppose the despoliation of these poor 
children, which is a crime committed every day.  

Child Labor comes in many forms; they are all organized into groups. Some of the 
worst kinds of child labor found are things like bonded labor, and Military labor. 
Bonded labor is when you are in debt, and in attempt to pay off the debt, you send 
your child to work for the person you are indebted to until the debt is paid off by the 
amount of work. The person whom you owe the debt to adds hidden fees for the 
child’s food, or things like messing up the work. In result, the debt never really gets 
paid off, and the child is bonded to that work for ever. 

Military labor is when a country is at war, or there is some sort of conflict, and a 
group of people recruit the children. The children are innocent and are forced into 
the military or group they must fight for. They are treated as soldiers, and 
sometimes even worse. They are forced to kill people, and live in harsh conditions. 
They are often discriminated against, and are disrespected and forced to sometimes 
kill even a close friend or family member.  

Child labor is when children are forced to work for someone in harsh conditions with 
little or no pay. They are beaten for pointless reasons like small mistakes, or going a 
little too slow. The children fall into child labor by being sold, tricked, stolen, or 
sometimes by a choice which they will soon regret. 

I feel that child labor is something that happens all too often. Many people use child 
labor, and many children are forced into it. No one deserves to be treated the way 
they are; I hope that one day all of child labor will be abolished, so that all of the 
world’s child laborers may be set free.

Marie, 14, Canada

Are you interested in taking concrete action to create political change related to child 
labor?

I attended the first Children’s World Congress on Child Labor in Florence, Italy from 
May 10th-13th. After the congress, five other delegates and I combined our ideas and 
wrote a letter to the governments of Canada and the United States. We asked them 
to sign, ratify and implement the International Labor Organization 
Convention 138 on Minimum Age for Admission to Employment. Neither Canada, 
nor the United States, have signed this convention. 

The letter was mailed September 23, 2004. It is included at the end of this article. 
We received a response from the Canadian government. We have received no 
response from the United States government. 

Here is a step by step guide for how to write a successful letter to your 
government:

1) Get a copy of each of the following conventions related to children’s rights 
and child labor, and read them.

2) Do some research and find out if your country has signed and ratified 
these conventions.  

3) If YES, you can contact your government to ask what has been done so 
far to implement/enforce the convention and what they plan to do in 
the future. Remind your government that signing and ratifying are important 
steps, but that they mean nothing if there is no implementation. 

4) If NO, you can urge your country to sign the convention without restrictions 
as soon as possible. Include in your letter why you feel it’s important that 
your government sign the convention.

5) Brainstorm and generate lots of ideas for your letter. You could talk with a 
parent/sibling/friend to get more suggestions. Some questions to think about:

6) Write a draft of your letter. Be polite and respectful if you want your letter 
to be read. Don’t forget to have a parent or teacher read your letter to make 
sure all spelling and grammar is correct. 

7) Some other things to remember:

For more letter writing experience, join Amnesty International, an international 
movement of people committed to the promotion and protection of human rights. 
Learn more at their website: www.amnesty.org

Good luck with your letter! 

Have a wonderful day, 

Marie 
14 years old
Canada
Mailed from Canada on September 23, 2004 

The Honourable Paul Martin and President George Bush:

We are Marie, 14, from Canada; Emily, 16, from Connecticut; Kimberly, 17, from 
California; Kendra, 14, from Iowa City, Iowa; Maura, 15, from New York and Blanca, 
17, from Oregon.

Earlier this year we represented North America at the first Children’s World Congress 
on Child Labor. This event was held in Florence, Italy from May 10th – 13th 2004. 
Attending the congress were 200 children and youth, composed of former child 
laborers and activists from around the world. At this event we had the opportunity to 
hear many personal stories from former child laborers. We also had the chance to 
develop challenges related to child labor and children’s education for governments, 
organizations and people of the world. 

We are contacting you today regarding the International Labor Organization 
(ILO) Convention 138 on Minimum Age for Admission to Employment. We 
ask the governments of Canada and the United States to sign, ratify, and 
implement this convention for the following reasons:

        1 This is another step that Canada and the United States can take to end child 
labor and support education.
        2 North America will set a positive example for other countries that have yet to 
accept this convention.
        2 Canada and the United States have both signed the ILO Convention 182 on 
the worst forms of child labor. By signing Convention 138, you will further 
strengthen your commitment to abolish child labor and promote children’s 
education.
        3 Minimum age regulation is very important as it ensures that children stay in 
school and have the opportunity to reach their full potential.
        4 This convention is also important because it protects children from working in 
a hazardous environment. 
        5 Accepting this convention makes humanitarian, economic and political sense.

Additionally, we challenge our countries to implement conventions related to 
children’s rights that they have already signed and ratified. Plans of action should 
be created and goals should be met with adequate human and financial resources. 
We ask you to put action to your words and follow through with your 
commitments. We would like to especially challenge the United States to sign the 
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. 

At the Children’s World Congress on Child Labor we united to take yet another step 
in the fight to end all exploitation of children. Today we ask you to do the same. 
Please sign the ILO Convention 138 on Minimum Age for Admission to Employment.

Thank you for your time. A response would be greatly appreciated. 

Sincerely yours, 

Marie 
Kimberly 
Maura 
Emily 
Kendra 
Blanca 

                                		         		October 5, 2004
Marie
39 Dieppe Drive
Whitehorse, YT
Y1A 3A9

Dear Marie and Co-signatories:

	On behalf of the Rights Honourable Paul Martin, I would like to acknowledge 
receipt of you correspondence regarding the International Labour Organization’s 
(ILO) Convention 138 on Minimum Age for Admission to Employment. 

	You may be assured that your comments, offered on behalf of the participants 
in the Children’s World Congress on Child Labour, have been carefully reviewed. 
Given his particular interest in the issue you have raised, I have taken the liberty of 
forwarding a copy of your letter to the Honourable Pierre Pettigrew, Minister of 
Foreign Affairs. I am certain that the Minister will appreciate being made aware of 
your views and will wish to give them every consideration. 

	Thanks you for taking the time to write to the Prime Minister on the important 
issue. 

                                       	                    Yours sincerely, 

                             		M. Bredeson
                               		Executive Correspondence Officer	

Lyndsay, 17, Massachusetts, USA

As a female, high school senior, it has become apparent to me there are many 
injustices, such as child labor and trafficking in women, which I hope to change in 
the future.  This article is about what is happening in the world and how we should 
play an active role in helping to make this world a better place, not only for the kids 
today, but also for future generations.

It is very sad to see a five-year-old child working an unbelievable amount of hours in 
a factory because his/her family cannot afford food. We are living in a world where 
poverty is so extreme that women are bearing babies in hopes that they will bring 
food to the family. Sadly, not all women are educated enough to know that having 
children when you cannot afford food for yourself worsens the situation.

Little children are not only working as many as 14 hours a day, but they are 
physically and mentally abused and grossly underpaid. Emily Oliver, a child 
advocate, told me a horrifying story about a child carpet weaver having the cuts on 
his fingers cauterized (burned) by his employer in India.

Eighty percent of Haitians are living in poverty (on less than one dollar a day).  They 
are desperate to know if they will have food on the table the next day. Some of the 
remaining 20 percent from a higher social class use children as slave labor. Some 
children are forced to sleep in kitchens and bathrooms. They are underfed, wear torn 
clothes and work very long days.

We need to do something about child slavery not only in Haiti, but also around the 
world. These children are the future. Kids who are treated like commodities, used as 
slaves, improperly fed, and not given a meaningful education from which they learn 
values and the application of knowledge, have little to no hope of ever improving 
their situation in life.  How will these kids ever become advocates or leaders?  This is 
why we should play an active role in stopping child labor. Every voice and effort 
counts toward freeing child laborers.

Trafficking in women, including young women, is also another important issue. An 
estimated 2 million women around the world are victims of sexual trafficking each 
year.  They are transported to other countries with promises of descent jobs and a 
better life. Some are forced into prostitution and held captive in locked houses, 
which they are not allowed to leave until their debts are paid. This could take years. 
They are indebted for their transportation (plane or boat ride) to another country, 
false passports and documents, and living expenses in the country of destination. 
These young girls are prostituted for the profit of the people holding them captive.

I had read on www.CaptiveDaughters.org a story about a woman is currently hiding 
in Australia after promised a better life there. After leaving her homeland, she had 
the greatest shock of her life. She was locked in a house and forced to sleep with 
over 800 men during her years in Australia. Each time she was sick, or she refused 
to sleep with a man, her debt would increase. She was forced to do involuntary 
abortions. She finally escaped after calling a person who she knew from an abortion 
clinic in Australia. She is currently hiding for fear that her master might find her. She 
is unable to go back to her homeland because of the conditions she faced before 
leaving. 

There are many organizations where you can have your voice heard, such as Captive 
Daughters. Their web site is www.CaptiveDaughters.org. Raise your voice and be 
active. Because of you, one child or woman can be saved!
  Poor Haiti, Center for American Progress column by Matthew Miller, March 4, 2004,
Internet accessed on December 6, 2004 from:
http://www.americanprogress.org/site/pp.asp?c=biJRJ8OVF&b=36091
  Asia: Christian Women Combat Sex Trafficking, Christianity Today, Internet accessed
on December 6, 2004 from:
http://www.ctlibrary.com/2480