The United Nations Human Rights Council passed the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in 2011, outlining the obligations of governments and businesses in relation to the standards for respecting human rights and freedoms, especially linked to preventing forced labour and modern slavery in their supply chains. As a follow-up of this report, the Canadian House of Commons` Subcommittee on International Human Rights carried out a study on the use of forced labour in the supply chains of businesses. For the purpose of this study they gathered feedback and inputs from wide range of actors, from civil society groups and non-governmental organizations, to industry associations, politicians, and government officials.
According to the report “child labour can be reduced by: ensuring that caregivers—especially women—have access to decent work and are free of exploitative circumstances such as forced labour; enhancing social protections; improving access to quality education; strengthening justice systems; and combatting corruption”. In this document you can find more about the scope and prevalence of child labour in supply chains, how supporting and protecting families can be a solution to eliminate it, corporate and social responsibility, supply chain legislation and transparency in the context of Canada, as well as a set of practical recommendations formulated based on the study findings.