U.S. Reps. Kildee, Scholten form task force to fight child labor violations
Kildee, Scholten form task force to fight child labor violations Detroit Free Press
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Child Labor Protection Task Force Created in Congress
Introduction
U.S. Reps. Dan Kildee, D-Flint Township, and Hillary Scholten, D-Grand Rapids, have announced the creation of a child labor protection task force in Congress. The task force aims to encourage stronger penalties for companies violating child labor practices and push Cabinet agencies to do more to enforce existing laws.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- Goal 4: Quality Education
- Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
- Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities
- Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
Migrant Children Working in Michigan
“Child labor is not a thing of the past, but very much of the present,” said Kildee. This statement was made in response to reporting earlier this year by the New York Times, which indicated that migrant children were working long shifts under potentially dangerous conditions in plants in Michigan and elsewhere.
The hardships faced by a 15-year-old girl from Guatemala, who was employed by a plant in Grand Rapids, were documented in the report. The article also highlighted children working for auto suppliers and other companies. As a result of this report, Scholten demanded officials investigate the claims and introduced legislation to increase fines against companies violating child labor laws.
Efforts to Combat Child Labor
Kildee and Scholten, along with other Democratic legislators, announced the creation of the child labor protection task force. They emphasized the importance of lobbying Republicans in the majority in the U.S. House to pass laws that crack down on child labor. Scholten also suggested that immigration reform could help solve workforce shortages that lead to children being brought in to work.
An interagency task force between the Department of Labor and the Department of Health and Human Services is already looking into enforcement issues related to child labor. Scholten stated, “It’s about keeping 6-year-olds out of slaughterhouses.”
Conclusion
The creation of the child labor protection task force in Congress is a significant step towards addressing child labor violations. By encouraging stronger penalties and enforcing existing laws, the task force aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of Quality Education, Decent Work and Economic Growth, Reduced Inequalities, and Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions.
Contact Todd Spangler: tspangler@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter@tsspangler.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| 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, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labor in all its forms. | – Mention of child labor practices in the article – Creation of a child labor protection task force in Congress – Pushing Cabinet agencies to enforce child labor laws |
| SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities | Target 10.7: Facilitate orderly, safe, regular, and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies. | – Mention of migrant children working under potentially dangerous conditions in plants in Michigan – Discussion of immigration reform as a solution to workforce shortages |
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
- SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- 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, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labor in all its forms.
- Target 10.7: Facilitate orderly, safe, regular, and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
- Mention of child labor practices in the article
- Creation of a child labor protection task force in Congress
- Pushing Cabinet agencies to enforce child labor laws
- Mention of migrant children working under potentially dangerous conditions in plants in Michigan
- Discussion of immigration reform as a solution to workforce shortages
4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| 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, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labor in all its forms. | – Mention of child labor practices in the article – Creation of a child labor protection task force in Congress – Pushing Cabinet agencies to enforce child labor laws |
| SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities | Target 10.7: Facilitate orderly, safe, regular, and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies. | – Mention of migrant children working under potentially dangerous conditions in plants in Michigan – Discussion of immigration reform as a solution to workforce shortages |
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Source: freep.com
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