Children from indigenous communities face a significant risk of child labour and often don’t have access to education, according to a recent analysis by the International Labour Organization (ILO).
In the paper “Issue paper on child labour and education exclusion among indigenous children, the authors underscore significant educational disadvantages faced by indigenous children, which increase their susceptibility to child labour. In the countries under examination, indigenous children exhibit lower rates of school attendance, particularly among indigenous girls.
HAZARDOUS OCCUPATIONS
The paper reveals that indigenous children are disproportionately represented in hazardous occupations. While most of them work in agriculture, they can also be found in construction, commerce, manufacturing, and domestic work.
Notably, the analysis highlights regional variations in this issue. In Peru, child labour among them is nearly three times the national average, and in Ecuador, indigenous children are approximately 11.6 times more likely to engage in hazardous labour compared to their non-indigenous counterparts.
MARGINALIZATION
The root causes of child labour among indigenous children are deeply embedded in the social, economic, and cultural marginalization experienced by indigenous communities. These communities are three times more likely to live in extreme poverty, frequently facing land dispossession, the adverse impacts of climate change and conflict, limited access to essential services, and challenges in preserving their traditional ways of life.
As a result, indigenous children are often compelled to work to support their families, becoming a crucial part of their family’s survival. This situation can also lead to other consequences, such as the exploitation of indigenous girls by traffickers who take advantage of the breakdown of family and community ties.
INTENSIFYING EFFORTS
Addressing child labour and educational exclusion necessitates comprehensive responses that encompass the broader protection of indigenous peoples’ rights. This includes intensifying efforts to establish mechanisms that enable the participation of indigenous peoples in decision-making processes, shaping policies and programs, ensuring access to culturally appropriate quality education, extending social protection, and safeguarding indigenous peoples’ land rights.
This issue paper builds upon previous ILO research and policy recommendations. Supported by funding from the United States Department of Labour, it draws from data gathered from reports worldwide, as well as from focus group discussions with indigenous organizations in Cambodia, Kenya, the Russian Federation, Nepal, and Tanzania. Additionally, it incorporates quantitative data from six Latin American countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama, and Peru.
