Research Paper

Child Labour Persistence in Global Value Chains: New Evidence

Using satellite imagery and supply chain data to identify child labour risks embedded in global agricultural commodity supply chains.
Dr. James Okafor, Prof. Keiko YamamotoAugust 14, 2023Development Economics
DOI10.9876/ri.2023.0814
InstitutionResearch & Policy Institute
Pages42

Dr. James Okafor

Research Fellow in Public Administration and Social Protection. Specialises in social protection systems design and administrative reform in sub-Saharan Africa.

Abstract

Despite significant progress in reducing child labour globally, an estimated 160 million children remain engaged in child labour. Agricultural commodity supply chains — particularly cocoa, tobacco, and smallholder horticulture — represent a concentrated risk. This paper develops a novel risk mapping methodology using satellite imagery combined with supply chain network data to identify child labour hotspots at sub-national resolution.