Eliminating child labour in the shrimp and seafood processing industry has been identified by the Royal Thai Government and the International Labour Organization (ILO) as an area requiring attention. The industry plays an important role in the country’s economic development - it contributed approximately 2 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2009 - and the sector has great potential to improve and expand. Because it is labour intensive it creates a significant number of jobs for Thai citizens as well as attracting a large number of migrant workers from neighbouring countries (Cambodia, Lao PDR, and especially Myanmar).
Child labour in the shrimp production value chain is most commonly found in small-scale informal enterprises that do primary processing (i.e. sorting, peeling, and deveining). However, the employment of children in the industry supply chain, both under and above the legal working age, in hazardous working conditions is not always captured by existing monitoring and enforcement systems. Child labour has been observed predominantly among migrant workers in shrimp and seafood processing in the Samut Sakhon area; but it also involves Thai children in the southern coastal areas of Songkhla and Nakhon Si Thammarat, where children have been observed sorting seafood on the docks, and working in small-scale seafood processing units. Shrimp aquaculture and seafood processing are also found on the coast of Surat Thani and Songkhla provinces but the nature and extent of child labour in these is yet to be determined.
Because of the economic importance of the industry, and the employment it generates, a concerted effort is needed to address issues related to its labour market governance, structure and regulation, especially in its extended value chain. The common use of sub-contracting makes the industry vulnerable to poor working conditions and breaches of national laws and international labour standards relating to child labour, labour exploitation and abuse. Existing product quality and labour monitoring systems need to be improved to cover the full extent of the value chain. It is also necessary to reach out to shrimp farmers and processing establishments to ensure they understand and apply regulations relating to child labour.
The project aims to create an industry that is free of child labour and offers decent working conditions and opportunities. It will focus on selected geographical hubs for shrimp and seafood processing such as Samut Sakhon, Surat Thani and Songkhla. This is a four-year initiative (2011-2014) with funding provided by the United States Department of Labor.
Project objectives:
- Strengthen policy and implementation frameworks to protect the rights of Thai, migrant and stateless children in relation to labour, education, employment and social protection.
- Ensure enterprises throughout the shrimp industry supply chain comply with national labour laws and international labour standards, in particular those relating to child labour and forced labour; and introduce good practices in working conditions.
- Provide accessible education, social protection and livelihood services to migrant and Thai children and their families in the targeted shrimp industry areas.
Project strategy:
- To achieve sustained improvement in the child labour situation in the shrimp and seafood processing industry, the project will take a systemic approach to creating structural improvements alongside an enabling policy and implementation environment. It will work with the industry to implement good practice models that will improve both production and working conditions.
- It will actively work towards enhancing effective implementation of policies on labour protection, migration, education and social protection; and towards improving the governance, working conditions and regulation of the shrimp industry supply chain. It will also look at gaps in education and social services for vulnerable Thai and migrant communities.
The project is grounded in the ILO’s mandate for social partner dialogue. It will engage government, employers’ and workers’ organizations, and civil society groups in action and advocacy that aim to eliminate child labour in the industry. Key partners will include the Ministry of Labour, Department of Fisheries, Thai Frozen Foods Association and others.
For further information, please contact:
Mr Tuomo Poutiainen
Programme Manager
Tel: +662-288-1789
Fax: +662-288-1019
Email
Ms Emanuela Pozzan
Technical Officer
Tel: +662-288-1724
Fax: +662-288-1019
Email
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