Forced Labour in Global Supply Chains
International Frameworks
Forced labour is prohibited under multiple international frameworks. The International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions 29 (Forced Labour Convention, 1930) and 105 (Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957) form the cornerstone of international prohibition. The US's own Tariff Act of 1930 (Section 307) prohibits importing goods made with forced labour. The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA, 2022) created a "rebuttable presumption" that goods from China's Xinjiang region are made with forced labour. The current Section 301 probe extends this approach to all major trading partners.
- ILO Convention 29 (1930): Defines forced labour; prohibits compulsory labour by governments
- ILO Convention 105 (1957): Abolition of forced labour as punishment, discrimination tool, etc.
- US Tariff Act Section 307 (1930): Prohibits importing goods made with forced or convict labour
- UFLPA (2022): Xinjiang goods presumed made with forced labour unless rebutted; impacts cotton, polysilicon, solar panels
- ILO estimates: 28 million people in forced labour globally (2021 estimate)
- India and forced labour concerns: Brick kilns, quarrying, agriculture, domestic work — periodic reports by ILO/NGOs
● Tracked since March 13, 2026 · last seen March 14, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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