Editor’s Note: Jonathan Todres is Catherine C. Henson professor of law at Georgia State University. He is the author of numerous publications on children’s rights and human trafficking, and he regularly advises organizations working on these issues. The views expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.
In an era of often-deep political divide, human trafficking should be one issue where there is consensus. Indeed, the vast majority of us recognize that human trafficking and forced labor are human rights violations that must not be tolerated. Yet millions of children today are exploited in forced labor. Instead of attending school, they work in hazardous conditions in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, construction, fishing, and other sectors. While we need to be innovative in addressing such exploitation, a key pillar of any solution already exists in communities across the globe: education.
Education is a foundational human right that has been recognized since the beginnings of the modern international human rights movement following World War II. It can enable children and their families to break out of the cycle of poverty. It can strengthen communities. Nelson Mandela once called education “the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
In addition to this transformative power, education helps reduce child labor. Research shows that the longer we can keep kids in school, the better the chance they have of avoiding exploitative labor settings. Although 88% of children globally complete primary school, only 59% complete upper secondary school. That leaves millions of children and adolescents at risk. However, we know a number of steps that will improve access to education and help support children to stay in school.
First, ensuring that education is free, from pre-school through secondary school, is critical. Eliminating school fees helps improve attendance, often significantly. So-called hidden fees, such as additional costs for books, school uniforms, and transportation, must also be accounted for to ensure that children from the poorest families and communities can attend and complete school.
Second, providing free breakfast and free lunch programs at schools has been shown to improve attendance in many countries. It also helps address food insecurity and boosts academic performance while children are at school, even in wealthier countries such as the United States.
Third, investing in teachers and schools is key to providing quality education for all children. Teacher shortages and other challenges due to inadequate resources can make it harder for many children to access a quality education. Larger class sizes and other burdens on teachers and schools can lead to higher drop-out rates, leaving children at risk of exploitation. Conversely, investing in schools and teachers can improve the quality of education and reduce the risk of dropping out.
Finally, implementing and sustaining programs that support low-income and poor families helps alleviate the pressure for children to work, so they can continue their schooling instead. For example, cash transfer programs, such as Brazil’s Bolsa Família program, have helped improve school attendance and reduce dropout rates by providing financial support to low-income families allowing their children to continue their education.
Investing in education
Other steps are needed, of course. A strong legal framework and active enforcement of child labor laws is necessary to identify abuses early, protect children from exploitation, and hold violators accountable. However, focusing on, and investing in, education is vital not only to protecting children now, but also to ensuring that they can develop to their full potential and be positioned as adults to obtain safe, secure employment opportunities that pay a living wage.
In a world where AI and technological advances often dominate the headlines, it is tempting to want to find the newest innovation to address the exploitation of children. We absolutely should continue to look for new tools and pathways to prevent forced labor and exploitation of children. But we must also remember that sometimes an essential part of the solution is right in front of us. Education is that powerful asset that can help reduce the vulnerability of children to exploitation. We simply have to invest in it.
Ensuring every child has the freedom to learn and grow to their full potential by securing access to free, quality education for all children is a formidable tool in the fight against forced labor and exploitation. In short, being an anti-trafficking ally means standing up for every child’s right to education.