Minimum age: Bolivian labor laws put 10-year-olds to work

U.N. group urges nation to give back childhoods

LA PAZ, Bolivia – As people rushed by, Isaac Quispe sat on the sidewalk, scanning their feet to quickly assess their needs.

“A shine, sir? I have tan polish,” the 11-year-old told one man. “I’ll work hard for you,” said the boy, who works to pay for school supplies.

That such a young boy toils at a job is neither remarkable nor illegal in this South American country.

Bolivia has the world’s lowest minimum age for child labor: 10. At that age, children can work legally for themselves or their families. Once they hit 12, they can work for others.

The controversial law, which passed in 2014, is unique in the world. More than three years later, the government struggles with how to implement the regulation and protect children from abuse and exploitation.

The United Nations’ International Labor Organization and many other groups oppose the law, saying children younger than 14 should not work. About 850,000 Bolivian children work, which is nearly 30% of children ages 5 to 17, according to UNICEF.

The U.N. labor group has urged Bolivia to repeal the child labor law, but the law’s supporters say children have the right to work.

Young Isaac often toils into the night. Just past 10 p.m., he finally found a customer. The man wouldn’t pay full

“A shine, sir? ... I’ll work hard for you.” Isaac Quispe, 11

TRACEY EATON/SPECIAL TO USA TODAY Isaac Quispe, 11, searches for clients in La Paz, Bolivia. Isaac says he wears a mask to hide his face because people look down on the poor. About 850,000 Bolivian children work, according to UNICEF.