IS CHILD LABOR DECREASING?

UNCLAS TIRANA 000814

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/SCE; DRL; G/TIP; DOL FOR ILAB

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM ELAB ECON PREL SCUL SMIG AL
SUBJECT: IS CHILD LABOR DECREASING?

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PLEASE TREAT ACCORDINGLY


1. (SBU) Summary: NGO and GOA officials covering child labor have
indicated that child labor in the formal economy may be decreasing
slightly, but any decreases are likely offset by increases in child
labor in the informal economy. Economics and greater awareness seem
to explain the potential decrease. Children trafficked across
borders for child labor also appears to be declining due to better
border enforcement and awareness, according to anecdotal evidence.
While the GOA has made commendable progress on this issue, stronger
enforcement of child labor and other relevant laws combined with
more effective implementation of anti-child labor programs would go
a long way toward substantially improving the prospects of these
children. End summary.


2. (SBU) Recent meetings with child labor activists and GOA
officials indicate that child labor in the formal economy may be
decreasing, albeit slightly. According to professionals who work
with child labor issues, greater awareness on the part of businesses
and economics may explain the fall in the number of children working
in the formal economy. Etleva Vertopi, National Program Manager for
the International Program on the Elimination of Child Labor (IPEC)
International Labor Organization (ILO),told Post that child labor
often does not work economically for many businesses. For example,
in some industries, businesses have noticed that the quality of work
done by children does not meet the standard required by
international companies, costing manufacturers money as many items
produced are returned due to shoddy craftsmanship. Children are
cheaper labor than adults, however the amount of defects produced
end up costing firms more money. A Ministry of Labor official
cautiously agreed with this assessment and added that the global
economic crisis also likely plays a role in the potential decline.


3. (SBU) While child labor in the formal economy may be decreasing,
in the informal sector it appears to be growing. In the informal
sector, forced begging, selling cigarettes and gum in the streets,
car washes and recycling remain the primary areas where children are
exploited. (Note: The Children's Human Rights Center of Albania
(CRCA) and Vertopi of ILO agree that child beggars are over 90 per
cent Roma, whereas child vendors are overwhelmingly ethnic Albanian.
End note.) In contrast with a few years ago, however, it appears
that the majority of the child labor victims are being transported
or trafficked internally, rather than externally. With greater
awareness on the part of the GOA and better border enforcement, the
amount of children transported across borders may have decreased and
traffickers may have adjusted their strategies. Clearly,
trafficking of children across borders still occurs, but the
situation is nowhere near the levels of 2004 and 2005 where
individuals openly trafficked children at border checkpoints,
according to CRCA and Vertopi.


4. (SBU) One area that falls between the formal and informal
economies and has received scant attention is the agricultural
sector. Commonly referred to as the elephant in the room, child
labor in agriculture is rarely mentioned and the Ministry of Labor
told Post that it does not inspect farms. While the law does grant
some exceptions for children to assist their families in farming, it
is unclear whether or not family farms are complying with the law.
Little to no data exists on child labor on farms and on the issue of
child labor as a whole. To combat the lack of data, ILO, together
with INSTAT (the Albanian Institute for Statistics),is launching
the first comprehensive child labor survey early next year,
according to Vertopi. She expects to have a finished report in the
autumn of 2010, if not before. In addition, CRCA, together with
UNICEF launched a child labor hotline in order to assist children
and gather data in June. CRCA says the line is working but said
statistics are unavailable currently, but are expected soon.


5. (SBU) Comment: While the GOA has made commendable progress in
some areas, child labor remains a pervasive and visible problem.
The contentions that child labor may be decreasing in the formal
sector are interesting, but without sufficient data it is difficult
to ascertain the true scope of the problem. Hopefully next year's
child labor survey will shed more light on the situation. Children
begging and hawking goods can be seen on a daily basis, but it does
not appear that the police take many measures to enforce the law,
despite the openness of the problem. A new child protection law is
currently under consideration in parliament; however, enforcement is
key. The government also has various action plans to combat the
problem, but execution is lacking. Vertopi contends that if the GOA
allocated its resources properly in this area, it could make a
sizeable dent in the problem; however inefficiencies and
bureaucratic inertia often stymie any meaningful initiatives,
leaving the children to fend for themselves.

JONES