Catherwood LibraryILR School

In light of the recent passing of the World Day Against Child Labor, Chang Hee Lee, Director of the Vietnamese ILO, discussed specifically the often overlooked roles minors play in supply chains as he addressed the Vietnamese Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs and the ILO. Children are often major contributors to supply chains within Vietnamese industries and because they work at the lowest levels of operation, businesses frequently neglect to address this illegal employment and, at times, are unaware of the sources of their labor. In addition, most child labor comes from the children of economically disadvantaged families who rely on this work to sustain their households, making the problem even more complex and difficult to eradicate. As Vietnam continues to grow its economy and expand in the world market, corporate social responsibility seems to be taking a more prominent role indicating a positive trend in labor conditions.