Breaking the Chains: Forced Labor in Mexico’s Supply Chains
Forced labor is a severe violation of human rights and a persistent global issue affecting millions of individuals. According to the ILO, 27.6 million men, women, and children are in forced labor globally.[1] Over $236 billion USD is generated in illegal profits using forced labor every year.[2]
Both Mexico and the United States have robust legal frameworks to eradicate the use of forced labor and have made great strides in detection and enforcement. However, the secretive nature of the forced labor industry, changing bad actor tactics, and the intensive resourcing required presents challenges to both countries.
Forced Labor in Mexico
While Mexico has made great strides in identifying and preventing forced labor, it is still a problem that impacts hundreds of thousands of citizens. Certain risk factors[3] may make certain individuals more vulnerable to forced labor than others, including:
- Poverty
- Unstable immigration status
- Language barriers
- Lack of social support systems
- Physical or developmental disabilities
An estimated 850,000 people are still living in modern slavery today in Mexico.[4] The Department of Labor has identified a list of goods it has reason to believe are produced using child labor and forced labor in Mexico including[5]:
- Beans
- Cattle
- Chile peppers
- Coffee
- Cucumbers
- Eggplants
- Garments
- Leather goods/accessories
- Melons
- Onions
- Poppies
- Pornography
- Sugarcane
- Tobacco
- Tomatoes
Investigations have also uncovered severe forms of child labor including using children in the production and trafficking of drugs and in dangerous agricultural work.[6]
Mexico Efforts to Eliminate Forced Labor in Mexico
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