Entries by Reid Maki

Progress at Risk as Global Leaders Confront the Ongoing Child Labor Crisis — a Blog by Reid Maki

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February 12, 2026 By Reid Maki, NCL Director of Child Labor Advocacy & Coordinator of the Child Labor Coalition In Marrakech, Morocco, on Wednesday morning, the 6th Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour opened at the Palais des Congrès to a palpable air of excitement. About 1,300 government leaders, employer groups, union leaders, and advocates against child labor attended the conference, organized by the government of Morocco with logistical assistance from the International Labour Organization (ILO). It is the first such international child labor conference since the one held in Durban, South Africa, in May of 2022. As the Director of Child Labor Advocacy for the National Consumers League and the coordinator of the Child Labor Coalition, this is my fourth quadrennial global child labor conference. Wednesday’s opening plenary began with a status check, highlighting the remarkable progress in reducing child labor, with estimates dropping from 246 million to 138 million last year. That’s phenomenal progress, but uncertainty hung in the air about what the future holds. The Trump administration’s cancellation of US AID poverty-reduction programs and $550 million in cuts to child labor and labor grants administered by the U.S. Department of Labor International Affairs Bureau in early 2025 has been an ongoing concern for child labor advocates, who fear a reversal of progress toward eliminating child labor. […]

“I Was Losing Pieces of My Childhood:” a Former Child Farmworker Urges Action to End Child Labor in a Speech to Be Remembered

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By Reid Maki, NCL Director of Child Labor Advocacy & Coordinator of the Child Labor Coalition The recent 6th Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour included high-ranking officials from over 100 governments, the ILO, trade groups, and employer groups. I heard many speeches from child labor experts with decades of experience, but former NCL intern Jacqueline Aguilar, only 23 and a recent college graduate, gave by far the most compelling and poignant remarks. In 2023, Jacky interned for me at the Child Labor Coalition, a program of the National Consumers League.  She came to us through a remarkable program for former Migrant Head Start students led by the National Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Association, a member of the Child Labor Coalition. Jacky spoke on a panel with a half-dozen government officials and a trade unionist. She recalled her experiences in the United States as a child laborer in agriculture. Members of the Child Labor Coalition are concerned that, in any given year, there may be as many as 300,000 minors working in agriculture. They work legally at tasks most adults cannot do because of gaps in child labor law that apply to agriculture. These exemptions allow children to work unlimited hours in the fields (if they aren’t missing school) beginning at the age of 12. Jacky spoke from the heart about the impact child labor has had on her life and those of her peers from migrant families. Her remarks reminded us of why we were at the conference and impressed the attendees that we must act urgently to protect the 138 million children trapped in child labor. Jacky started: “When people hear ‘child labor,’ they imagine something far away. A different country. A different life. But I am standing […]

New research suggests the impact of pesticides on the developing brains of child farmworkers in South Africa

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“Children living in South Africa’s farming regions may be experiencing reduced cognitive performance because of routine exposure to agricultural pesticides, new research has found.” via the Mail and Guardian, November 2025.   Western Cape children show impaired brain function from pesticide exposure, new study finds

75-plus Organizations Endorse “Children Don’t Belong on Tobacco Farms”, H.R. 3335, Legislation

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In the U.S., you must be 21 years old to buy cigarettes, but exemptions to child labor laws allow 12-year-olds to harvest toxic tobacco. Even the tobacco industry acknowledges that children under 16 should not harvest this toxic crop. In 2015, they negotiated a compromise with former DOL Secretary Tom Perez in which they pledged to ask farmers not to hire teens under 16 to harvest the crop. That compromise is not working and is unenforceable, preventing DOL Wage and Hour investigators from protecting child farmworkers. Rep. Rosa DeLauro’s Children Don’t Belong on Tobacco Farms Act  is a simple bill that bans minors from working on this dangerous crop, which often makes farmworkers sick. Symptoms of Green Tobacco Sickness include headaches, dizziness, nausea, fainting, and vomiting. Increasingly, researchers believe there may be long-term health impacts. The Child Labor Coalition, consisting of 38 organizations, endorses the bill. More than 75 organizations, including the AFL-CIO, Human Rights Watch, the American Academy of Pediatrics and numerous farmworker and faith-based groups have endorsed this bill   Child Labor Coalition Action on Smoking and Health AFL-CIO Alianza Nacional de Campesinas American Academy of Pediatrics American Federation of Teachers Amnesty International USA Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs Beyond Pesticides California Church Impact Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids Campaign to End US Child Labor Center for Science […]

Tu Rinsche’s Deep Dive on Cocoa with its Long-standing, Widespread Child Labor

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Please see this excellent primer on child labor in cocoa policy from Tu Rinsche, who has approached child labor policy from numerous perspectives—including federal agency, corporate, and NGO. Read it here on Substack or below.   Human Rights Deep Dive: Cocoa Why Business Must Lead on Ending Child Labor and Forced Labor in the Cocoa Supply Chain Tu Rinsche Aug 24, 2025 I really love dark chocolate. I mean really love it. It’s my comfort food—I consume a large amount of it. My favorite chocolate for years is from Sprüngli, the Swiss chocolatier. It is not the easiest to get your hands on but if you can, I would recommend one of their fresh champagne truffles. That personal indulgence, though delightful, has a guilty taste each time I take a bite. As someone who has professionally focused on human rights and supply chain issues, I know a lot more than the average person about where commodities come from and how they are produced. And like many of us, I still indulge. For example, I know that much of the world’s cocoa production is tainted by child labor and forced labor. Despite decades of awareness and effort, these abuses remain alarmingly widespread—especially in West Africa, home to the majority of the world’s cocoa supply. In January 2007, I traveled to Ghana […]

10 Facts About Refugees in 2025….on World Refugee Day (June 20th)

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  June 20th is World Refugee Day. To highlight the challenges refugees face worldwide, especially issues that affect children, we have compiled a fact sheet to inform people on this worldwide day of recognition. There are 123.2 million forcibly displaced people worldwide. Of those, 36.8 million are classified as refugees. (UNHCR) 49 million children are among those forcibly displaced (UNHCR) The highest number of refugees come from Venezuela (6.2m), Syria (6.0m), and Afghanistan (5.8m). These 3 countries account for around half of the world’s refugees. (UNHCR) The countries that host the most refugees are Iran (3.5m), Türkiye (3.3m), Colombia (2.8m), Germany (2.7m), and Uganda (1.8m). Those 5 countries account for 37% of hosted refugees. 73% of refugees are hosted in low/middle income countries. Least developed countries hold around 23% of the total. (UNHCR) Women and girls who are forced to leave their homes are at a higher risk for gender-based violence. Women and girls account for 95% of verified cases. Humanitarian estimates state that 90% of women moving along the Mediterranean are raped. (UNHCR) In 2024, 199.4k people attempted to reach Europe by sea, with 5,500 unaccompanied minors arriving. (UNHCR) 2,568 migrants have gone missing or died in 2025. The majority of migrants died in the Mediterranean due to dangerous sea crossings and environmental conditions. (Missing Migrants Project) 19% of […]

Durbin, Delauro Introduce Bill To Ban Child Labor On Tobacco Farms

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This press release appears on Senator Durbin’s website here  and appears below.   Press Release May 13, 2025 Durbin, Delauro Introduce Bill To Ban Child Labor On Tobacco Farms WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) today reintroduced legislation to protect child workers from the dangers of exposure to tobacco plants, including nicotine poisoning. The Children Don’t Belong on Tobacco Farms Act amends the Fair Labor Standards Act to prohibit children under the age of 18 from working in tobacco fields and coming into direct contact with tobacco plants or dried tobacco leaves by deeming this type of work as oppressive child labor. “Kids as young as 12 can be recruited to work on tobacco farms where they are exposed to toxic tobacco plants containing nicotine and may experience common symptoms of nicotine poisoning like nausea, vomiting, headaches, and dizziness. Putting a stop to this disgraceful labor practice is simple and common sense,” Durbin said. “With the Children Don’t Belong on Tobacco Farms Act, Congress can finally act to protect these kids before it’s too late.” “Big Tobacco has spent decades profiting off children – by targeting them as customers and exploiting their labor,” said DeLauro. “Right now, kids as young as 12 are working in tobacco fields, exposed to toxic levels of nicotine that can cause lasting harm. That is why I’m […]

Press Statement: NCL strongly opposes the ‘Nullify Occupational Safety and Health Administration Act’ 

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February 4, 2025 Washington, DC – Today, the National Consumers League (NCL) voices its strong opposition to the newly introduced legislation, the Nullify Occupational Safety and Health Administration Act, which seeks to abolish the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). This legislation, introduced by Republican Congressman Andy Biggs, would repeal the landmark Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, eliminating vital federal workplace safety regulations. This would not only jeopardize the health and safety of millions of American workers but also threaten progress made in reducing workplace hazards. “This bill would be a catastrophic step backward for worker safety in this country,” said NCL CEO Sally Greenberg. “Repealing OSHA would put workers at great risk by dismantling the very protections that have helped reduce workplace injuries and deaths for over 50 years. Without OSHA, many workers will be left vulnerable to unsafe conditions, and it will be the most vulnerable—low-income and minority workers—who will bear the brunt of dangerous rollbacks. Additionally, OSHA plays a crucial role in ensuring children’s safety in the workforce by holding corporations accountable and enforcing laws against dangerous, illegal labor practices. We need to build on the progress made in workplace safety, not dismantle it.” For over fifty years, OSHA has been instrumental in safeguarding workers from hazardous conditions, significantly reducing workplace injuries, illnesses, and fatalities. When OSHA was founded […]