For the first time since 2000, child labor is on the rise, according to the International Labour Organization (ILO) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). A staggering 160 million children were victims of forced labor in 2020.

Against the backdrop of this distressing child labor trend, COVID-19 arrived on the scene, bringing with it the elements of a tragic perfect storm: a greater supply of susceptible children, greater demand for cheap labor, companies and families financially stretched, businesses shifting resources from business-enhancing to business-sustaining, and diminished protections against child labor due to reduced enforcement and regulatory oversight, such as factory visits. What follows is a brief overview of how this quintet of concerning trends has generated a record number of child laborers.

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