IPAC Demands Action Against Forced and Child Labour in the Toy Industry, Cites Chemical Health Risks

March 13, 2024
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We, the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, express deep concern at reports of forced labour in the Chinese toy market. This industry, which produces over 70% of the world’s toys, is credibly accused of flooding the global toy market with toys produced using forced and child labour. If this weren’t serious enough, these products often pose chemical health hazards both to those who make them and the children who play with them.

Children deserve to be protected from slave-made toys, and the toxic chemicals they contain.

We, therefore, call on our governments, in cooperation with the private sector, to:

  • Implement corporate due diligence and social responsibility frameworks, and review the effectiveness of toy safety certification schemes in light of recent findings;
  • Strengthen screening procedures for presence of carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic chemicals reportedly present in these toys;
  • Ensure distributors placing toys on the market comply with prohibitions on the import of goods made with forced labour, together with existing standards for labelling, warnings and technical documentation.

Signed By:

Fatmir Mediu MP, Albania

Sanela Klarić MP, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Adi Kalem MP, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Rep Georges Dallemagne, Belgium

Hon. Irwin Cotler, Canada

Sen. Pavel Fischer, Czechia

Rep Eva Decroix, Czechia

Miriam Lexmann MEP, EU

Reinhard Bütikofer MEP, EU

Michaela Šojdrová MEP, EU

Andre Gattolin, France

Sen. Olivier Cadic, France

Boris Mijatovic MdB, Germany

Michael Brand MdB, Germany

Gyde Jensen MdB, Germany

Sen. Barry Ward, Ireland

Žygimantas Pavilionis MP, Lithuania

Dovilė Šakalienė MP, Lithuania

Tom van der Lee MP, Netherlands

Ingrid Leary MP, New Zealand

Guri Melby MP, Norway

Antonio Miloshoski MP, North Macedonia

Elisabet Lann MP, Sweden

Fabian Molina MP, Switzerland

Oleksandr Merezhko MP, Ukraine

Mykola Kniazhytskyi MP, Ukraine

Jan Paternotte MP, Netherlands

Sen. Mary Seery-Kearney, Ireland

Avdullah Hoti MP, Kosovo

Catalin Tenita MP, Romania

Enver Hoxhaj MP, Kosovo

Nicolas Walder MP, Switzerland

Morten Messerschmidt MP, Denmark

Alexandru Muraru MP, Romania

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