A young girl in school is writing on her slate

CLEAR Cotton Project

Eliminating child labour and forced labour in the cotton, textile and garment value chains: an integrated approach (CLEAR Cotton)

Project details

Duration

1 March 2018 - 28 February 2023

Budget

EUR 9,000,000

Development partner(s)

European Union

Reference

GLO/17/15/EUR

Contact

fundamentals@ilo.org

Additional details

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The "Eliminating child labour and forced labour in the cotton, textile and garment value chains: an integrated approach (CLEAR Cotton)" Project, is co-funded by the European Union (EU) and the International Labour Organization (ILO), and it is implemented by the ILO in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Countries covered

The Project is implemented over a period of four years starting in March 2018 and target four countries:

Objectives

The project supports the above partners to contribute to a sustainable cotton, textile and garment value chain that is free of child labour and forced labour by:

Review policy, legal and regulatory framework to identify gaps, provide concrete recommendations and undertake necessary revisions , in line with the International Labour Standards.

Map the cotton, textile and garment supply chain taking into consideration fundamental principles and rights at work.

Build the capacity of target countries to eliminate child and forced labour.

Strengthen the role of employers’ organizations in eliminating child and forced labour.

Strengthen the capacity of workers’ organizations and cotton, textile and garment production workers to exercise their right to freedom of association and other fundamental worker rights.
Develop community-based multi- stakeholder compliance monitoring and remedial mechanisms to combat child labour and forced labour with additional focus on gender issues.

Support due diligence initiatives and grievance mechanisms concerning child labour and forced labour along the value chain.

Strengthen livelihoods of local and vulnerable families.

Develop model youth and women employment and self-employment schemes and their supporting functions.

Improve children’s access to education.

Highlights from the CLEAR Cotton Project

The ILO and FAO, with support from the EU, present the lessons learned and good practices from the CLEAR Cotton project globally. Results are articulated by thematic with concrete examples and testimonies from stakeholders and beneficiaries.

Visit the Results page

Results of the CLEAR Cotton Project by country

Results of the CLEAR Cotton project in Burkina Faso

Project results in Burkina Faso

Results of the CLEAR Cotton project in Burkina Faso

28 February 2023

Results of the CLEAR Cotton project in Mali

A woman holding a cup containing shea nuts in her village, Mali

Project results in Mali

Results of the CLEAR Cotton project in Mali

28 February 2023

Results of the CLEAR Cotton project in Pakistan

Project results in Pakistan

Results of the CLEAR Cotton project in Pakistan

28 February 2023

Results of the CLEAR Cotton project in Peru

Mural painting depicting children going to school with a message on children's rights

Project results in Peru

Results of the CLEAR Cotton project in Peru

28 February 2023

The Project in Action

A woman picking cotton in a field of Pakistan

Stories of Change

Read the first-person testimonies of the children and parents supported by the project, and how their lives changed, or learn about what the project did to tackle specific vulnerabilities.

Young boy in a class in Mali, looking up

Video testimonies

Listen to the voices of children removed from child labour thanks to the support of CLEAR Cotton, and what the project did to help the cotton growing communities to transform their practices to be free of child labour.

Music Against Child Labour Competition

Banner showing a child working in a textile factory reaching for a guitar above, with a message calling to participate to the music competition

Music Against Child Labour Competition

On the occasion of the International Year Against Child Labour, 2021, the CLEAR Cotton project supported the first ever global "Music Against Child Labour" competition, organized by the ILO and JM International. Here are the winners of each category.