Updates

Dated developments on child labour, newest first: data releases, new law, enforcement, court rulings, investigations and funding. Each names its source.

2026

  1. The US State Department releases the 2026 Trafficking in Persons Report, 100 days late

    The report covers April 2025 to March 2026 and was released 100 days after its statutory deadline of 30 June.

    Source: US Department of State, 8 October 2026 · read 15 October 2026

  2. Cameroon’s statistics institute publishes a study of child labour in cocoa

    The study measures the extent of child labour in the cocoa supply chain and its root causes. It is published in French.

    Source: International Cocoa Initiative, 28 September 2026 · read 15 October 2026

  3. Nigeria launches its third national policy and action plan on child labour

    Launched in Abuja with ILO support, running to 2030.

    Source: ILO, 14 October 2026 · read 15 October 2026

  4. A study finds children’s own answers raise child-labour estimates

    UNICEF Innocenti and the University of Ghana found that in Ghana children’s self-reports gave prevalence estimates about 20 per cent higher than reports by adults on their behalf.

    Source: International Cocoa Initiative, 11 September 2026 · read 15 October 2026

  5. Sri Lanka raises the fines for child labour offences tenfold

    Amendment Act No. 21 of 2026 raises the maximum fine under the 1956 employment law from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 100,000.

    Source: Newswire, 8 September 2026 · read 15 October 2026

  6. India’s Human Rights Commission directs three companies to audit suppliers after children are found at a Delhi vendor

    Four children aged 14 to 16 were removed from an electrical-wiring unit in Delhi. The Commission directed Eureka Forbes, Havells and Hindustan Unilever to audit their vendor networks.

    Source: Outlook Business, 14 August 2026 · read 15 October 2026

  7. The International Cocoa Initiative publishes its 2025 annual report

    ICI reports the reach of its members’ child-labour monitoring and remediation systems to September 2025, and publishes core criteria for those systems.

    Source: International Cocoa Initiative, 20 July 2026 · read 15 October 2026

  8. The European Commission opens the implementation period for the Forced Labour Regulation

    The Commission launched a preparedness package and a single portal. The regulation, which covers forced child labour, applies from 14 December 2027.

    Source: European Commission · read 15 October 2026

  9. World Day Against Child Labour 2026

    The theme: “Red card to child labour: Fair play for children, decent work for adults.”

    Source: ILO, 12 June 2026 · United Nations · read 15 October 2026

  10. Switzerland puts a corporate-responsibility law out for consultation

    The Federal Council presented the Sustainable Corporate Governance Act as its counter-proposal, modelled on EU law, with consultation open until 9 July. The existing ordinance on child-labour due diligence remains in force.

    Source: SRF, 2 April 2026 · read 15 October 2026

  11. The EU adopts Omnibus I, which amends the corporate sustainability due-diligence directive

    The Council formally adopted the package after Parliament’s approval. Member states must transpose the amended directive by 26 July 2028.

    Source: Publications Office of the EU, 26 February 2026 · UKFT, 26 February 2026 · read 15 October 2026

  12. The 6th Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour adopts the Marrakech Framework for Action

    Governments, employers, workers and partners met in Marrakech from 11 to 13 February under Morocco and the ILO. The Framework calls for stronger implementation of conventions C138 and C182, better enforcement and coordinated action.

    Source: ILO, 16 February 2026 · Government of Seychelles · read 15 October 2026

  13. Germany’s Bundestag sends the bill amending the Supply Chain Act to committee

    The government bill, adopted by the cabinet on 3 September 2025, would remove the reporting duty. The labour ministry’s page showed it as not yet promulgated when read on 15 October 2026.

    Source: Deutscher Bundestag, 16 January 2026 · Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs · read 15 October 2026

2025

  1. The CARE Act is reintroduced in the US House

    The bill would raise the minimum working age in US agriculture from 12 to 14 and bar under-18s from hazardous farm work.

    Source: US Government Publishing Office, 17 November 2025 · Human Rights Watch, 26 November 2025 · read 15 October 2026

  2. Tesla shareholders reject a proposal for a child labour audit

    Proposal 9 asked for an audit of child labour in the company’s supply chain. It was not approved.

    Source: Tesla, Inc., SEC filing, 6 November 2025 · read 15 October 2026

  3. The UN Human Rights Council merges its slavery and trafficking mandates

    Resolution 60/25 created a Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery and trafficking in persons, whose scope names the worst forms of child labour. The mandate operates from 1 May 2026.

    Source: OHCHR · read 15 October 2026

  4. The US Department of Labor publishes its 2024 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor

    The assessment covers 131 countries and territories.

    Source: Georgetown University, 30 September 2025 · International Cocoa Initiative · read 15 October 2026

  5. The Labor Department’s Inspector General reports a rise in US child labour violations

    Between fiscal years 2019 and 2023 the Wage and Hour Division found 103 per cent more child labour law violations and 88 per cent more minors employed in violation.

    Source: US Department of Labor, OIG, 30 September 2025 · read 15 October 2026

  6. The US State Department releases the 2025 Trafficking in Persons Report

    The yearly ranking of governments’ responses to trafficking, including forced child labour.

    Source: US Department of State · read 15 October 2026

  7. The EU postpones battery supply-chain due diligence to August 2027

    Regulation 2025/1561 moved the start of the due-diligence duty, which lists child labour among the risks to address, from 18 August 2025 to 18 August 2027.

    Source: Publications Office of the EU, 30 July 2025 · read 15 October 2026

  8. The UN Special Rapporteur reports on the worst forms of child labour

    The report notes that millions of children remain in hazardous and exploitative work despite the 2025 target, particularly in digital and conflict settings.

    Source: UN Human Rights Council, 22 July 2025 · read 15 October 2026

  9. A US appeals court upholds the dismissal of the Coubaly v. Cargill cocoa child-labour suit

    Eight Malian citizens alleged they were forced to work as children on Ivorian cocoa farms and sued seven cocoa importers. The DC Circuit held that they lacked standing because their injuries were not fairly traceable to the defendants.

    Source: US Court of Appeals, DC Circuit, 22 July 2025 · Reuters, via CP24, 22 July 2025 · read 15 October 2026

  10. World Day Against Child Labour 2025

    The theme: “Progress is clear, but there’s more to do: let’s speed up efforts!”

    Source: United Nations · read 15 October 2026

  11. The ILO and UNICEF publish the 2024 global estimates of child labour

    The estimates show a fall of over 20 million children since 2020, and state that the target of eliminating child labour by 2025 was missed.

    Source: UNICEF, 11 June 2025 · ILO, 11 June 2025 · read 15 October 2026

  12. A Florida bill to roll back child labour protections fails in the state Senate

    The bill died at the end of Florida’s 2025 regular session, after public criticism including from some Republican lawmakers.

    Source: Orlando Weekly, 5 May 2025 · read 15 October 2026

  13. The US Department of Labor cancels its international grants against child labour and forced labour

    AP reported the cancellation of grants administered by ILAB. A coalition of civil-society groups put the total at about $500 million and asked for them to be restored. A department spokesperson called the grants “paused”.

    Source: AP, via Manufacturing.net, 8 April 2025 · Child Labor Coalition, 22 April 2025 · read 15 October 2026

  14. Perdue Farms to pay more than $4 million after children were found in hazardous work at a Virginia plant

    The US Department of Labor found children working in hazardous conditions at the company’s Accomac poultry plant.

    Source: VPM, 16 January 2025 · read 15 October 2026