DOL/ International Labor Affairs Bureau (ILAB) FY 2017
THE NEED FOR FUNDING AND REPORT LANGUAGE
$129,325,000 in FY 2017 for the Bureau of International Labor Affairs in the Department of Labor (DOL/ILAB) to implement Section 105(b)(2) of the TVPRA of 2005 (P.L.109-164) and Section 110 of the TVPRA of 2008 (P.L.110-457), as follows: $27,000,000 be designated for the administration of ILAB, $9,500,000 be designated for program evaluation, $58,825,000 be designated for Child Labor and Forced Labor program, $10,000,000 for Workers’ Rights program, $9,000,000 for the Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor and Human Trafficking (OCFT), and $15,000,000 for the Human Trafficking Risk Reduction Grants.
International Labor Affairs Bureau (ILAB)
Summary of Program
DOL/ILAB is an essential part of the United States government’s international response to forced labor, human trafficking, and child labor. ILAB was created as part of the Department of Labor’s effort to ensure fair treatment of workers worldwide, including the ability to share in the “benefits of the world economy.”32 To further this mission, ILAB utilizes any international avenues available to “improve working conditions, raise living standards, protect workers’ ability to exercise their rights, and address the workplace exploitation of children and other vulnerable populations.”33
ILAB works to ensure the protection of the world’s most vulnerable workers through technical assistance, bilateral and multilateral engagement, and research. ILAB produces the Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor report pursuant to Section 142(c) of the Trade and Development Act of 2000. ILAB collaborates with the Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security to produce a list of products that are mined, produced, or manufactured with forced or child labor. ILAB receives and evaluates claims submitted when a country is thought to be failing to meet its labor commitments under a Free Trade Agreement.
Government officials, civil society advocates, and businesses around the world look to DOL/ILAB reports to help them understand where risks are present and which research to consult for more information and context. DOL/ILAB also needs funds to support field-based programs that find solutions to forced labor, trafficking, and the worst forms of child labor. Programs initiated by DOL/ILAB often serve as models for scaling up by the private sector, governments, and civil society.
Since 1995, ILAB has worked with NGO partners to withdraw 1.7 million children from the worst forms of child labor through the Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor and Human Trafficking for the Child Labor and Forced Labor program. In 2013, ILAB worked with partners in 40 countries to provide education or vocational services to over 90,000 children engaged in or at high risk for entering the worst forms of child labor, and helped increase government capacity to address child labor in 29 countries. For example, these grants have funded programs that reduced exploitative child labor in the traditional weaving sector in Ethiopia and in fishing, agriculture, and domestic service sectors in Cambodia. These time-bound and measureable programs seek to create sustainable change through community and government engagement.
Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor and Human Trafficking (OCFT) in ILAB
Summary of Program
The Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor, and Human Trafficking (OCFT) is part of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB). The office was created in 1993 in response to a request from Congress to investigate and report on child labor around the world. OCFT has been involved in monitoring, reporting on and consulting with other government agencies regarding child labor since 1993 and forced labor since 1999 – the longest of any government agency. As such, OCFT provides expertise and information for the range of government agencies that address forced and child labor issues. OCFT produces the List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor, which creates opportunities for ILAB to engage and assist foreign governments. In addition, OCFT has made important progress with the release of the toolkit for responsible businesses to assist them in reducing child labor and forced labor. The requested support will enable OCFT to continue its work to issue updates to the report, and to undertake related initiatives required under the TVPRA, including development of a standard set of criteria for production and collaboration with government agencies to ensure that goods are not produced using forced labor.
Worker’s Rights Program
Summary of Program
The Workers’ Rights program is essential to maintaining coherence with the U.S. trade agenda. ILAB provides technical assistance to countries on a variety of worker rights issues, many of which correspond directly to labor rights commitments under trade agreements. Project goals include adopting or reforming labor laws or standards, improving labor inspectorates’ enforcement capacity, increasing awareness of fundamental labor rights, and improving occupational safety and health conditions. ILAB also provides technical advice and other support to labor ministries through workshops and exchange programs.
Need
The 2005 TVPRA (and its subsequent 2008 reauthorization) required DOL to implement several new initiatives. These new requirements include critical reporting and assessment tools to better evaluate the nature and scope of human trafficking and forced labor in the United States and around the world. Without adequate funding, DOL will struggle to fulfill these Congressional mandates.
ILAB needs more resources to support research to ensure that its “List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor,” mandated by the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005, is as strong, accurate, and comprehensive as possible. Government officials, civil society advocates, and businesses around the world look to DOL/ILAB reports to help them understand where risks are present and which research to consult for more information and context. DOL/ILAB also needs funds to support field-based programs that find solutions to forced labor, trafficking, and the worst forms of child labor. Programs initiated by DOL/ILAB often serve as models for scaling up by the private sector, governments, and civil society.
This funding initiative will ensure that the TVPRA mandates are adequately fulfilled, and in doing so will advance OCFT efforts to accomplish related monitoring and reporting under the Farm Bill and Trade and Development Act mandates. These requirements include critical reporting and assessment tools to better evaluate the nature and scope of human trafficking and forced labor in the United States and around the world. The $9,000,000 increase for OCFT will be used to implement Section 105(b)(2) of the TVPRA of 2005 as follows:
- To monitor the use of forced labor and child labor in violation of international standards;
- To work with persons who are involved in the production of goods on the list described above to create a standard set of practices that will reduce the likelihood that such persons will produce goods using forced labor and child labor; and
- To consult with other departments and agencies of the United States government to reduce forced and child labor internationally and ensure that products made by forced labor and child labor in violation of international standards are not imported into the United States.
DOL/ILAB/Human Trafficking Risk Reduction Grants to nongovernmental and governmental organizations offer formal and informal education and job training programs targeted to at-risk populations. More and more children are vulnerable to trafficking in an economic recession, especially AIDS orphans and vulnerable children, migrants and refugees, and women and girls in post-conflict and post-disaster settings. The risk reduction grants from ILAB will enable organizations to protect and empower these vulnerable groups from forced labor and other forms of trafficking by funding initiatives that promote decent work.
Solution
ATEST is requesting $129,325,000 in FY 2017 for the Bureau of International Labor Affairs in the Department of Labor (DOL/ILAB). ILAB is responsible for implementing Section 105(b)(2) of the TVPRA of 2005 (P.L.109-164) and Section 110 of the TVPRA of 2008 (P.L.110-457). In the past, these requirements have not been funded. In FY 2013, ILAB systematically monitored and analyzed child labor and forced labor in 157 countries. Funding provided would allow ILAB to fulfill its congressional mandates and ensure staff is able to travel to the countries with which it has partnered.
Within these funds, we request that $27,000,000 be designated for the administration of ILAB, $9,500,000 be designated for program evaluation, $58,825,000 be designated for Child Labor and Forced Labor program, $10,000,000 for Workers’ Rights program, $9,000,000 for the Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor and Human Trafficking (OCFT), and $15,000,000 for the Human Trafficking Risk Reduction Grants.
Proposed Report Language
The Committee recommends $129,325,000 for the Bureau of International Labor Affairs to implement Section 105(b)(2) of the TVPRA of 2005 (P.L.109-164) and Section 110 of the TVPRA of 2008 (P.L.110-457), of which $27,000,000 shall be for the administration of the Bureau of International Labor Affairs, $9,500,000 shall be used for program evaluation, $58,825,000 shall be for the Child Labor and Forced Labor program, $10,000,000 for the Workers’ Rights program, $9,000,000 for the Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor and Human Trafficking, and $15,000,000 for the Human Trafficking Risk Reduction Grants.