Child Labour in FootwearProject, Indonesia

Child Labour in Footwear Project, Indonesia

• Cibaduyut – near Bandung, Indonesia• Centre of home-based shoemaking

involving all family members• Small units – 30 sq metres upwards• Indonesian government declared child

labour in footwear to be hazardous work

Tasks of Child Labourers

• Cutting leather and sewing• Grinding and gluing a sole to the upper

part of the shoe• Selecting, cleaning, packing and storing

goods

Hazards and Risks• Chemicals – glues, primers, cleaning agents –

toluene – confined spaces• Dusts• Hot temperatures – heating chemicals• Knives, cutting tools• Poorly guarded machinery• Noise• Awkward working postures• Long working hours – 9.5 hours per day; 3.4

USD wage per week

Community-based Initiatives

• Monitoring committees set up based on training locals - visit workshops daily, record info, interview children, discuss withworkshop owners and parents

• OSH committee – training provided, training Manual. 4 model workshops developed

Project results: 2000-2004

• Withdrawal of children into education, vocational training, recreational activities

• 1999: 1,046 child labourers; 2004 – 58• Based on h & s communication,

awareness-raising and communitymonitoring and organising work

Results

• « It cannot be over-estimated the extent to which OSH communication – delivered by community members – influenced thewithdrawal of child labour

Results: Local people know

• Shoemaking remains hazardous work for children and adults as long as chemical-based solvents are used

• Homes where shoes are produced are actually dangerous workplaces

Next steps?

• Central problem of use of chemical-basedsolvents in glues etc remains – toluene etc

• Substitution with water-based glues• No amount of community-based action or

improved OSH communication canchange that

• Role of industry, governments, IGOs, social partners