Child Labor in the Soccer Ball Industry

Abstract

In 1996, ILRF called attention to child laborers in Pakistan producing soccer balls for the world market. In response to this expose, soccer ball manufacturers agreed to participate in a monitoring program sponsored by the ILO with the goal of eliminating child labor from the industry. This report describes the progress made a year into the program.. The research shows that child labor persists in the soccer ball industry and that the program itself has serious flaws.