Since 2015, Peru has been implementing the second stage of its National Strategy for the Prevention and Eradication of Child Labor (ENPETI) 2012-2021 , now focused on the evaluation of its pilot experiences and the improvement of its identification and registration instruments on the child labor situation.

This year the country adopted its operational definition of child labor, which represents an important advance on the subject since it allows a more precise measurement, in accordance with national and international regulations, and is a guide for follow-up and monitoring actions. .

The definition is made up of eight indicators collected from Peru's two main sources of information on child labor: the National Household Survey (ENAHO) and the National Specialized Survey on Child Labor (ETI). These indicators refer to children and adolescents engaged in economic activities, child labor, hazardous work, risk of forced labor and risky domestic tasks performed in the home.

Under this package of indicators, the new  2015 Report “Magnitude and characteristics of child labor in Peru” was presented , which defines a new baseline for the formulation and reinforcement of public policies on the prevention and eradication of child labor and the protection of child labor. permitted adolescent work, which will make it possible to fine-tune ENPETI's interventions.

The report compiles the results of the two modules on child labor of the ENAHO from 2012 to 2015 and of the ETI 2015. The first to present the magnitude and evolution of child labor at the national level, and the second to complement the information of the ENAHOs and carry out a more in-depth analysis on the characterization of child labor.

"The ETI 2015 has provided a very rich database that will allow to work in a more informed and systematic way, which will help the deployment of public policy within the framework of the measures to be adopted by the Government."

Alfonso Grados, Minister of Labor and Employment Promotion

In this regard, it should be noted that the completion of the ETI 2015 has meant a great inter-institutional cooperation effort between the Ministry of Labor and Employment Promotion, which financed fifty percent of the survey, the National Institute of Statistics and Informatics (INEI) and the International Labor Organization.

Next steps

Within the framework of the second stage of implementation of the ENPETI, the Pilot of the Child Labor Identification and Registration System is already underway, which will facilitate the mapping and identification of each child and adolescent at risk or situation of child labor in three areas of the country: Carabayllo and Comas, in Lima, and Santa María del Valle in Huánuco.

In addition, to improve pilot interventions, the Ministry of Labor is committed to the inclusion of other key sectors such as health and agriculture; strengthening the capacities of regional and local governments and continuing to improve statistical information on this matter.

About ENPETI 2012 - 2021

It is a public policy instrument that sets the standard for Peru in the fight against child labor, combining the improvement of family income and access to the educational offer, with control actions and the offer of childcare services, working girls and adolescents.

This strategy includes interventions in rural and urban areas from its three pilot experiences in Huánuco, Pasco, Junín, Huancavelica and Carabayllo. Likewise, it brings together the participation of different sectors (Education, Development and Social Inclusion and Labor) as well as levels of government (local, regional and national).

To read the 2015 Report on Child Labor, click here .