As part of the activities related to the implementation at the national level of the Accelerating Policy Framework of the Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Initiative free of child labor, the ILO together with the Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLAC) developed the “ Child Labor Risk Identification Model ”, in order to provide the implementing countries with specific measures that help, above all, to prevent this problem . Mexico is part of a group of pilot countries that have implemented the Model (the others are Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Peru) and is the first to present its results: 

 

 

 

The main factors that encourage child employment that is not allowed in Mexico are the male sex , whether the head of the household is employed in the agricultural sector and whether there are adolescent children . The protective factors , that is, those that discourage child labor in Mexico, are the schooling of the head of the household and their spouse; the access of the head of the household to social security , the number of household members - since in households with more adults, the chances that the underage members have less need to work increase - and whether the girl, boy or girl teenager attend school .         

 

 

The Model is a data analysis tool that, based on existing data in the countries (surveys, censuses, and administrative records), allows analyzing the degree of probability of generating child labor situations and identifying the main factors associated with this phenomenon. . From its application in Mexico, we know that of the 32 states , 12 have low risk of child labor incidence, 11 medium risk and 9 high risk .     

 

 

"The results of the Model at the state level are an important input so that the states can adjust and focus their preventive efforts on the Municipalities with the highest risk of child labor, in order to interrupt the path towards non-permitted child occupation, " said Noortje Denkers. , ILO Child Labor Officer. 

 

 

According to the results of the Model at the municipal level, the group of municipalities with a high risk of illegal occupation is characterized by presenting both a high proportion of the child population engaged in agricultural activities, and a high percentage of the population aged 6 to 14 years who have not attended school , therefore, efforts dedicated to the formalization of employment, especially in the primary sector, and the targeting of educational policies towards groups with a higher risk of child labor and people with incomplete basic education will be decisive in a significant decrease in the rate of child labor  , which in the country affects 7.5% of people between 5 and 17 years of age (2,217,648 girls, boys and adolescents), according to the Child Labor Module (MTI) 2015 of the ENOE (STPS-INEGI).

 

 

The child occupation not allowed in Mexico has gone down, because according to the MTI 2007, 11.5% of girls, boys and adolescents between 5 and 17 years were in child occupation not allowed.

 

 

“The objective of these studies is to provide tools to the countries for the prevention and eradication of child labor and to advance in the achievement of national goals and the commitments assumed at the international level, to ensure that all girls, boys and adolescents enjoy their childhood. and enjoy all your rights, "Denkers said.

 

 

To read the national result, enter here  .

 

 

To read the result of each of the 32 states, enter here  . 

 

 

Context data

 

 

According to the ILO “ Global estimates on child labor ”, Latin America and the Caribbean has achieved, thanks to shared work between governments, employers 'and workers' organizations, civil society and international cooperation, a reduction of 9.5 million of children and adolescents (NNA) in a situation of child labor between 2000 and 2016.

 

 

Although this progress is significant, the region still has 10.5 million children and adolescents in child labor, mostly in dangerous activities, and a significant number at risk of entering the labor market prematurely.

 

 

To face this reality, the Regional Initiative Latin America and the Caribbean Free of Child Labor has designed an Accelerating Policy Framework, through which the member countries of the Initiative seek to intensify and focus the public response to child labor to advance in compliance with national targets and regional and global commitments reflected in Target 8.7 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: “… no later than 2025, end child labor in all its forms”.  

 

 

The Regional Initiative is an intergovernmental cooperation platform made up of 28 countries, with the active participation of employers 'and workers' organizations. Mexico is a founding country and an active member.