Candy Avila

Melania Popa-mabe

SOWK 307: International Social Work & Social Justice

April 19, 2022

Intervention Proposal

There is no doubt that there are many around the world suffering from poverty. In what ways

is poverty affecting those people? A significant issue in many countries around the world is

forced labor, however specifically forced labor in the country of Mexico. Forced labor can be

defined as work performed involuntarily and under the threat of any penalty (ILO 2017). This

can mean restrictions of freedom of movement, withholding of wages or identity documents,

sexual violence, and debt in which workers have no way out of. This is seen a lot in Mexico,

where there are labor laws however poverty affects a large part of the population, specifically

around 3.5 million Mexican children work in jobs such as servants and carrying wood or cement.

Many people have a hard time defining forced labor and whether people are being forced or if

they choose to work. However, many don’t realize that in some cases if they have no other

choice, they are required to take whatever they can get. Although we have seen through history

the consequences and learned from mistakes of slavery and past forms of forced labor, it still

occurs in areas of our world. I want to focus on the use of child labor in Mexico and the reasons

behind their use in the work field as well as what can be done to prevent child labor.

To understand forced labor and child labor as well as their correlation one must first

understand why this occurs and the causes. The largest and major issue in Mexico is its poverty,

a large part of the population is living in poverty. This is a result of high unemployment rates,

workers’ rights are repressed, access to free education is limited, and laws are not enforced and
include exceptions. A big part of child labor is the fact that their school is expensive for quality

education, or sometimes there is a need to provide for their family that they rather work than get

poor quality education. As well as the fact that there is no real enforcement of school laws.

Although since 1993 there has been a law to require children up to age 14 to attend school, many

still don’t. This is due to not being able to financially afford their studies or violence is reported

in school. To address this issue, we should begin at the root of the source. In this case it is

improving the school system. Addressing violence in schools and the aggressors, adjusting

curriculum to fit the adequate standards for everyone, and getting marginalized indigenous

groups into the spotlight. Northern states of Mexico have more enrollment in schools rather than

southern states have over 22% of children involved. Another big issue Mexico has is sex traffic

especially with children. This is a result of the gang and crime rates which leads to children to

join them or get threatened to join. This leads to children being stolen and taken from their

family to be sold in sex trafficking or human trafficking, a form of forced labor. These cartel or

gang members get away with this because there are few trustworthy law enforcements that will

take action to help. With this there needs to be funding to help with preventing more sex and

human trafficking as well as illegal activity. A big issue however is that the Mexican government

can’t eliminate these big cartels and gangs. There needs to be an overall change in the

government as these effects many things economically and socially leading to more issues.

Addressing an issue might be the right thing to do but advocacy for law enforcement is also.

Mexico has a Federal Labor Law that prohibits any child under the age of 14 to work. Children

under the age of 16 are not permitted to work in unhealthy or hazardous work. The department of

Labor is responsible for protecting workers rights as well as aiding prevent child labor, however

this is not the case. The enforcement of this however is small and ineffective in smaller
companies, construction, and agricultural work (Quist). Most of these jobs are taken place in

smaller communities which usually include indigenous people who are usually low income in

rural areas. These laws are in place however it only reaches bigger cities which usually have

higher income populations who have access to education leaving marginalized groups in the

dark. This is a bigger issue, where funding is needed but it is not needed in these bigger cities

with less of these agriculture, construction, and smaller jobs but rather the indigenous

communities. With the gang violence people are scared to take their children out as well as can’t

trust officials. Recently there has been a new elected leader of Mexico who plans to improve the

crime and security situation in Mexico in December after his election the US-Mexico

Bicentennial Framework for Security, Public Health, and Safe Communities went into effect

(Brown). A year after his election the homicides declined by 3.6% from the previous year

(Brown). Although it is declining it is not significant as to create a change, these criminal groups

tend to usually be involved within municipal enforcement. Obrador, the newly elected president

has been working on getting better officials as well as citizens have created self-styled militias to

stop these criminals. Although policies may be implemented these cartel and gang groups have

grown exponentially targeting marginalized groups.

These areas lack adequate education standards, protection, and jobs for people within the

community. If funded all these things and more can be acquired. One of those programs to help

economically support the end to child labor is the Oportunidades program. This program is

working on decreasing child labor by providing families with educational grants (Quist). This

grant allows for more children to be able to stay in school rather than go work. This program

focuses on aiding poor families in both rural and urban communities. Their main goal is to invest

in human capital by improving education, health, and nutrition of children for the long term. This
program gives grants to poor families as many of them don’t have the money to send their

children to school to end their cycle of poverty by getting a better job. The amount of money

from the grants is based on the child’s grade or age and their gender, girls received higher grants

because they tend to have a higher drop out rate. As well as the money is given to the female

head of the household because according to the international literature women make better

financial choices. This program is rigorous and has proven effective in its manner of delivery. It

is targeting the correct target by evaluating the beneficiaries as well as they directly deliver cash

to families. This program has seemed to be positive in boosting school enrollment. I think this

program works and it has a lot of support to allow it to grow and reach the populations it needs

to. However, I do think that there can be issues such as people using the money for the wrong

reasons, as well as people may fall through the cracks of receiving this support if not evaluated

correctly.

To address other related forced labor such as sex and human trafficking there is Casa Alianza

Mexico or the Covenant House. This big organization provides cared and protection for boys and

girls who have endured trauma, abuse, neglect, addiction, sexual exploitation, and human

trafficking. Specifically, apartment program for survivors for human trafficking and a 24-hour

toll-free crisis hotline. This residential program is made up of six small homes throughout

Mexico City. The services include after care, educational assistance, vocational training,

transitional housing, trafficking survivor services, sexual health, and more. This is a program that

has been active in Mexico since 1998 as well as is offered in many other countries. Along with

direct support to these targeted populations there is also research to help stop and prevent human

trafficking. Although this is a resourceful program, I do not think that this will reach many

people in Mexico since there are only six houses only in Mexico City. This will only target the
groups of people in that area or people who have money to travel to Mexico City. There needs to

be more programs such as Casa Alianza around the entire country to reach rural areas as well.

From previous research there is an active want for change in Mexico, especially by the recent

president. However, action needs to be made and continued for this to grow and change to occur.

Therefore, organizations should point their focus to lower income or poorer communities,

especially rural areas. A lot of these areas hold indigenous people, with this comes vulnerability.

They do not have to resources to protect themselves and their families from falling into poverty

and forced labor. As well as this goes into governmental issues. The labor inspections are only

done if any in bigger businesses and if they are conducted in smaller businesses where forced

and child labor occurs it is very minimal. The ILO should focus on improving these labor

inspections as well as holding accountable corrupt employers. This may not be completed if

there is a lack of funding which is why there should be an increase in the amount of funding

allocated to people doing the inspections. This may also be an opportunity for an increase in jobs

providing those for unemployed people. Although this may not be enough there also needs to be

an increase in enrollment in school, especially for children but also in adults. There should be an

adjustment in school curriculum to ensure public schools are receiving adequate education in

comparison to those in private schools. It is understood that the Mexican citizens need to pay for

their children to receive a decent education and so such as the Opportunidades program. There

should be more accessible grants to make access to a good education easy and basically a right to

everyone. This will help eliminate a cycle of poverty a family can face for generations. Granting

education to adults who may have not resources to go to school as a child will allow them to get

a better job. If they have children, this will also provide an example to them and show the

importance of an education to end systemic poverty. On the note of education people should also
be informed of the illegality of forced labor. In the US there are systems an employer must make

their employee do to know the illegal actions that can take place in a workplace. As well as they

must be able to feel comfortable in reporting it to officials which is an issue Mexico has. Their

police and law enforcement has been corrupted by gangs and cartels. This is a bigger issue to

address in which once again the government is going to have to fix. It is a big system of broken

factors and errors. Although we may not be able to fix everything we must begin somewhere.

Beginning to face truths is a first step, providing knowledge and letting the public know of what

is going on in fields, construction, and agencies as well as ways to provide protection. Many

people face the fact that their child may be taken away from them in public spaces for sexual

exploitation and trafficking. Although a law official may not be able to do much, if these

communities begin to work together this can be completed. Which is why there needs to be

nationwide creation of community organizations. This will include information of current

organizations to help with child labor and human trafficking. They will form weekly meetings to

of sites of shelter, rehabilitation, and employment opportunities. After this is spoken of and

drawn out there must be action which will include the physical construction of these facilities

and carrying out the enforcement. There can’t be a sole reliance on citizens which is why

Mexican social workers, politicians, and government officials will need to take place in this

action.

With the assistance of these professionals there is hope that it will create a movement to fight

these issues. However, there will always be some people for and some against an issue. With this

intervention the goal is to help those who most need it which are the people of poverty in rural

areas. Although there are going to be people in middle to higher class who may also need

assistance. This can lead to a mis use or debate about the effectiveness and the long-term
benefits. The higher income people will more than likely not support as this may not be what

they support. Some people think that federal aid is something that is not necessary, and each

person is responsible for their own economical success. As well as this process will be a long

project that could be forgotten if not continued with the strength as it was began. There needs to

be continuous action to be able to sustain the help. A lot of organizations attempt to aid with

services however don’t upkeep and make sure its functional. There will be challenges such as in

every battle, but one must persevere to get results which is what needs to be done.
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