AFGHANISTAN: CHILD LABOR REPORT POINTS DELIVERED;

UNCLAS KABUL 003076 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AID ECON EIND ELAB ETRD PHUM PREL SOCI SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN: CHILD LABOR REPORT POINTS DELIVERED; PROBLEMS MORE EXTENSIVE THAN REPORT IDENTIFIES REF: STATE 92560 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Poloff delivered reftel points on the Department of Labor (DOL),s Child Labor Report and "List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor" to the Afghanistan Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs, Martyrs and Disabled (MoL) Director of International Relations, Mr. Ahmad Komail, on September 30 in accordance with DOL,s instructions. Komail reported that the problems extend beyond products in the marketplace to include child selling and organized begging. He underscored the need for USG financial assistance to support MoL,s efforts to address these problems. End Summary. ¶2. (U) DOL,s report cites Afghanistan for three products for which child and or forced labor is used: bricks, carpets, and poppies. Komail appreciates USG attention to this problem, but notes that more than three products are known for being produced with child labor. Child labor is also used for most agricultural products, and children are relied upon in the bazaars for tasks from heavy lifting to cleaning machines and selling goods. His office would be happy to share additional information with us so that we may report fully the scope of the problem. (NOTE: We will meet with the Ministry on October 15 to learn more details. END NOTE.) ¶3. (U) Komail noted that the first solution is to empower families with improved income-generating activities. When adult family members are underemployed they rely on their children to assist in supporting the family; improving adults, abilities to earn a family-wage is the best solution to reducing child labor in Afghanistan. The second solution is to provide students with real jobs skills for use later in life. With Afghan Red Crescent, the ministry runs technical training centers for children over age 14, teaching over 40 types of technical job skills. ¶4. (SBU) Komail said that a growing and largely unrecognized problem in the country is the mafia groups who organize professional begging rings of children; a different group controls each area of Kabul city, and groups operate in every city of the country. The children offer to wash vehicles stopped in traffic, polish shoes, or clean the curbs in front of businesses. Komail underscored the serious need for assistance, as the number of street children vulnerable to mafia control is growing; disabled children are also at risk. Child-selling is yet another serious matter involving the mafia. He said the mafia pays families up to $5,000 for each child. He noted that a few days ago, Saudi Arabia deported 40 children to Afghanistan, 70 percent of whom were from Baghlan province, who had possibly been sold to work as camel jockeys. (NOTE: We are confirming the details of this incident. End Note.) ¶5. (SBU) Komail says that his department receives neither the funding or nor the support it requires from the Afghan government; MOL has asked Parliament and the Council of Ministers to provide both a normal budget and a development budget, to no avail. He asserted that donor support is needed from the USG and other governments. He notes that the Japanese government provides some support to the Ministry, but the Ministry lacks a proper budget to address the problems in their scope and complexity. ¶6. (SBU) The Ministry's preferred solution is to increase the number of orphanages in the country. (NOTE: UNICEF reports that there are more than 50 state-run orphanages, but 80 percent of the children living in them are technically non-orphans, children whose families cannot shelter, feed, or educate them. Further, the ANP relies on orphanages as default juvenile detention centers. End Note.) Komail believes that orphanages with technical training components could train offer job training to children over the age of ¶14. ¶7. (U) Komail offered assurances that he would review the DOL report with care and offer additional information. EIKENBERRY