“Invisible Child Labourers”: an Investigation into the Children of Agricultural Labourers in Latina and Ragusa

In the 13th edition of the “Invisible Little Slaves” report, conducted by Save the Children, the focus of the investigation has been on children and adolescents growing up in makeshift housing on agricultural land, in conditions of isolation, with limited access to education and healthcare services. They live in areas where their parents face exploitation, thus experiencing systematic violations of their fundamental rights from birth, putting them at risk of becoming trapped in a vicious cycle of abuse and exploitation.

The first section of the investigation aims to provide an overview of recent developments in the contexts of trafficking and exploitation at the international, European, and national levels. The second part, on the other hand, is dedicated to an in-depth examination of the dire living conditions of minors and their families who are victims of labour exploitation in the agricultural sector.

The research has brought attention to two of the most at-risk areas: the province of Latina in the Lazio Region and the Transformed Strip of Ragusa in the Sicily Region. The report has collected testimonies from those who have experienced or are currently experiencing exploitation, as well as from representatives of institutions, civil society, labour unions, paediatricians, general practitioners, and teachers who are on the front lines in the fight to end this injustice. The testimonies reveal widespread deprivation of basic rights to these children, irreparably compromising their present and future. The trafficking and exploitation of their parents expose them to constant abuse, violence, and dangerous situations.