IFC s Policy IFC will not support projects that use Harmful Child Labor as defined below. Projects should comply with the national laws of the host countries, including those that protect core labor standards, and related treaties ratified by the host countries. Harmful Child Labor consists of the employment of children that is economically exploitative, or is likely to be hazardous to, or interfere with, the child s education, or to be harmful to the child s health, or physical, mental, spiritual, moral, or social development. IFC will incorporate the necessary provisions in its contractual documents to implement this policy with sponsors and business partners. Background Note 1.
Poverty is the main reason children are forced to work.
The supply of child labor is directly linked to the need for children to provide supplemental income for their families or to support themselves. The demand for working children by employers is less well-documented. This is a very short-term and regressive view of labor. Harmful child labor is morally unacceptable and in conflict with the World Bank Group s mission to promote socially responsible development. It also represents a serious reputational, legal and possibly financial risk for any individual business that knowingly or inadvertently benefits from it.