ILO Flags Enforcement Gaps as Mexico Expands Child Labor Strategy – Mexico Business News

Report on Child Labor in Mexico and Its Implications for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Introduction

Mexico is under increased international scrutiny following a report by the International Labour Organization (ILO) highlighting persistent child labor affecting 3.7 million minors. Despite legislative reforms and expanded inspections, enforcement outcomes remain limited. This situation poses significant regulatory and supply-chain risks for the agriculture, manufacturing, and retail sectors. The issue intersects with constitutional reforms and trade-linked compliance rules, emphasizing the importance of aligning Mexico’s labor practices with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 1 (No Poverty), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).

ILO Report Highlights Structural Disparities

The 2026 ILO Committee of Experts report reveals a significant gap between Mexico’s formal commitments and actual enforcement. Key findings include:

1. 3.7 million children aged 5 to 17 engaged in child labor, representing 13.1% of that age group, an increase from 11.5% three years prior.
2. Child labor concentrated in high-risk sectors:
   • Agriculture and livestock: 33.3%
   • Mining, construction, and industry: 25.7%
   • Services and commerce: significant shares
3. Nearly 57% of working minors engaged in activities prohibited by Mexican law, including hazardous tasks, night shifts, or employment below the legal minimum age.
4. Regulatory blind spots in the Federal Labor Law, particularly the absence of a formal definition of “light work” for children under 15, which limits supervisory clarity and may allow exploitative conditions to be misclassified.
5. Between 2022 and 2025, 142,951 labor inspections were conducted, but only one child labor violation was formally recorded, indicating deficiencies in detection and enforcement, especially in rural and informal sectors.

SDG Emphasis

• SDG 8: The report underscores the need for decent work conditions and the elimination of child labor.
• SDG 16: Highlights the necessity for strong institutions capable of enforcing labor laws effectively.
• SDG 1: Addresses poverty reduction by targeting economic vulnerabilities that drive child labor.

Mexico City Strengthens Coordinated Response

Mexico City has enhanced institutional coordination through the Interinstitutional Commission for the Prevention and Eradication of Child Labor and Protection of Adolescent Workers of Legal Age (CITI-CDMX). In March 2025, the commission approved a 2025–2026 strategy based on three pillars:

• Creation of a shared registry of families affected by child labor.
• Targeted sector diagnostics to inform evidence-based policy.
• Reinforced interagency coordination to prevent fragmented interventions.

The strategy involves multiple government sectors, including labor, health, economic development, security, and family development, with participation from the ILO and Save the Children. Collaboration with UNICEF aims to align local child-rights policies with national and international frameworks, integrating monitoring tools and preventive strategies, especially in preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

SDG Emphasis

• SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals): Demonstrates multi-sectoral and international cooperation.
• SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): Focuses on protecting adolescent workers’ health.
• SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): Targets vulnerable populations through coordinated policy.

Federal Reform and Health Considerations

At the federal level, a constitutional reform proposal introduced by Deputy Ricardo Madrid aims to explicitly prohibit hazardous, unhealthy, and night work for individuals under 18. Proposed amendments to Article 123 include:

• Limiting working hours for adolescents to six hours per day and 36 hours per week.
• Eliminating overtime work for minors.
• Reinforcing prohibition of employment under age 15.

This initiative is supported by research from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) linking night and irregular shifts to serious health risks, including circadian disruption, increased accident risk, and long-term metabolic and cardiovascular conditions. ENTI data indicates that over half of minors in unauthorized work face dangerous conditions, including late-night shifts. Gender disparities persist, with boys more engaged in agriculture and construction, and girls more in commerce, services, and unsafe domestic work.

SDG Emphasis

• SDG 3: Addresses health risks associated with child labor.
• SDG 5 (Gender Equality): Highlights gender disparities in child labor sectors.
• SDG 8: Reinforces decent work standards for youth.

Trade Policy and Corporate Exposure

The child labor issue intersects with global trade governance shifts. The ILO’s 2026 research brief notes that major markets, including the United States, Canada, and the European Union, increasingly link forced and child labor compliance to customs enforcement. Key points include:

• 28 million people subjected to forced labor globally in 2021, generating US$236 billion in illicit profits by 2024.
• More than 85% of forced labor cases occur in the private economy.
• Eliminating forced labor and formalizing affected workers could add US$611 billion to global GDP.
• Corporate cases such as fast-fashion retailer Shein’s 2023 acknowledgment of child labor at supplier factories illustrate rising investor and regulatory scrutiny.
• OECD analysis links forced labor prevalence to counterfeit trade, estimated at up to US$467 billion annually, with economies featuring high informality and weak labor protections at greater risk.

SDG Emphasis

• SDG 8: Promotes decent work and economic growth through supply chain compliance.
• SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production): Encourages ethical corporate practices.
• SDG 16: Supports strong institutions enforcing labor rights.

Socioeconomic Drivers and Structural Risks

Economic vulnerability remains a primary driver of child labor. According to BBVA Research, food insecurity has declined from 46.6% of households in 2018 to 33.1% in 2024, yet one-third of households still face food insecurity, disproportionately affecting rural and Indigenous communities. Indigenous children in migrant agricultural families are among the most vulnerable to hunger, mobility challenges, and child labor.

Globally, 138 million children remain engaged in labor, including 54 million in hazardous conditions. Campaigns such as the ILO and UNICEF’s Red Card to Child Labour frame child labor as both a human rights obligation and an economic governance challenge.

SDG Emphasis

• SDG 1: Targets poverty and food insecurity reduction.
• SDG 2 (Zero Hunger): Addresses food insecurity among vulnerable populations.
• SDG 10: Focuses on reducing inequalities affecting Indigenous and rural communities.

Enforcement Capacity as Decisive Factor

The convergence of constitutional reform, local coordination, trade-linked compliance, and social protection initiatives reflects an evolving policy environment. In 2025, the ILO expanded digital policy tools and reinforced its agenda on social justice, formalization, and regulation of emerging work models.

However, the 2026 committee findings stress that without effective enforcement, regulatory expansion has limited impact. The discrepancy between millions of working minors documented in surveys and isolated violations reported by inspection systems undermines the credibility of labor governance in Mexico.

SDG Emphasis

• SDG 16: Emphasizes the need for effective institutions and enforcement mechanisms.
• SDG 8: Calls for genuine progress toward decent work and elimination of child labor.
• SDG 17: Highlights the importance of partnerships and capacity building for enforcement.

1. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Addressed or Connected

1. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
   • Focus on ending child labor and promoting safe and secure working environments for all workers.
2. SDG 1: No Poverty
   • Addressing economic vulnerability and food insecurity among households, especially in rural and Indigenous communities.
3. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • Health risks related to hazardous and night work for minors, including circadian disruption and long-term health conditions.
4. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
   • Improving enforcement of labor laws and regulatory frameworks to protect child rights and labor standards.
5. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • Coordination between government agencies, international organizations (ILO, UNICEF), and civil society to combat child labor.

2. Specific Targets Under Those SDGs Identified

1. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
   • Target 8.7: Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labor, end modern slavery and human trafficking, and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labor.
   • Target 8.8: Protect labor rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers.
2. SDG 1: No Poverty
   • Target 1.2: Reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions.
3. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • Target 3.9: Reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination.
4. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
   • Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all.
   • Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.
5. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships.

3. Indicators Mentioned or Implied to Measure Progress

1. Indicator 8.7.1: Proportion and number of children aged 5–17 years engaged in child labor, by sex and age.
2. Indicator 8.8.1: Frequency rates of fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries, by sex and migrant status.
3. Indicator 1.2.1: Proportion of population living below the national poverty line, by sex and age.
4. Indicator 3.9.1: Mortality rate attributed to unintentional poisoning and hazardous working conditions.
5. Indicator 16.3.1: Proportion of victims of violence in the previous 12 months who reported their victimization to competent authorities or other officially recognized conflict resolution mechanisms.
6. Indicator 16.6.2: Proportion of the population satisfied with their last experience of public services.
7. Monitoring tools and registries: Local shared registry of families affected by child labor (Mexico City’s CITI-CDMX initiative).
8. Inspection data: Number of labor inspections conducted and violations recorded related to child labor enforcement.
9. Surveys: National Child Labor Survey (ENTI) data on child labor prevalence and hazardous work conditions.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: mexicobusiness.news