Regional Initiative Latin America and the Caribbean Free of Child Labour

The Regional Initiative is an alliance composed of 31 countries of the Latin America and Caribbean regional, with the active participation of workers and employers organizations. Together they materialize the regional commitment to prevent and eradicate Child Labour. This commitment is materialized through policies, strategies and urgent and innovative actions.

Child Labour is a reality for more than 8 million children and adolescents in Latin America and the Caribbean. Child Labour scares then for life and constitutes a barrier to overcome inequalities.

End Child Labour allows to promote decent work, advance the reduction of poverty and the construction of inclusive and fair societies, contributing to the sustainable development goals agenda (SDG’s).

The Regional Initiative Latin America and the Caribbean Free of Child Labour provides a comprehensive and flexible intervention model, that adapt to middle income countries. This intervention is focus in the acceleration of the eradication of child labour, promoting preventive care and the restitution of rights of children and adolescents engaged in Child Labour.

Since it’s creation, the Regional Initiative operates with the technical assistance of the ILO and the continuous support of is partners for development: the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), the Andalusian Agency for International Development Cooperation (AACID), the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC) and the United States Department of Labor (USDOL).

Align with the spirit of the 2030 Agenda

The planed actions of the Regional Initiative compress the period of 2024-2030 and it’s actions are align with the 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development in which the target 8.7 calls to “ take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labour in all its forms.”

Regional Iniative's phases

Phase I (2014-2017)

Institutionalization and awareness-raising

Creation of the platform, governance and management mechanisms in order to achieve a participative and strategic working group.

Project codes in this phase:	RLA/16/03/ESP; RLA/17/07/ESP; RLA/18/12/ESP RLA/09/53/BRA RLA/17/01/ESP; RLA/17/11/ESP; RLA/18/11/ESP GLO/18/29/USA; GLO/21/21/USA RLA/20/05/BRA RLA/16/06/ESP; RLA/20/04/ESP; RLA/18/12/ESP; RLA/19/04/ESP; RLA/21/03/ESP

Phase II (2018-2021)

National Response

Application of territorial instruments and tools for the strengthening of policies, programs and national services aimed to prevent and eradicate child labour.

Project codes in this phase:

RLA/16/03/ESP; RLA/17/07/ESP; RLA/18/12/ESP
RLA/09/53/BRA
RLA/17/01/ESP; RLA/17/11/ESP; RLA/18/11/ESP
GLO/18/29/USA; GLO/21/21/USA
RLA/20/05/BRA
RLA/16/06/ESP; RLA/20/04/ESP; RLA/18/12/ESP; RLA/19/04/ESP; RLA/21/03/ESP

Phase III - Current phase (2022-2025)

Evaluation and sustainability

Acceleration of actions to prevent and eradicate child labour in the región, the protection of adolescent work, and the promotion of synergies between actors and services (public and private) through the Acceleration Country Plans in the context of post covid recovery.

Project codes in this phase:

RLA/16/03/ESP; RLA/17/07/ESP; RLA/18/12/ESP
RLA/09/53/BRA
RLA/17/01/ESP; RLA/17/11/ESP; RLA/18/11/ESP
GLO/18/29/USA; GLO/21/21/USA
RLA/20/05/BRA
RLA/16/06/ESP; RLA/20/04/ESP; RLA/18/12/ESP; RLA/19/04/ESP; RLA/21/03/ESP

Country members

Antigua& Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, Uruguay y Venezuela.

Strategic partners

Employers organizations, including the Internacional Employers Organization (OIE); workers organizations, including the Trade Union Confederation of Workers of the Americas (CSA-TUCA); Agencies of the UN System ; Enterprises networks against Child Labour in country members.

Find out more about The Regional Initiative.

Download the RI Brief.pdf - PDF 659.33 KB

Results

Political consolidation

Child Labour eradication continues to be a public priority in the region. This is reflected by the reduction of 2,3 million in the number of children and adolescents engaged in child labour during the period of 2016–2020.

A regional response and strategic plan to prevent and mitigate the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic that increase the possibility of child labour in the region.

Intergovernmental and tripartite consensus:
The joint work of government representatives, employers' organizations, and workers' organizations with a prominent presence in national, regional, and international advocacy spaces has been consolidated. Individuals serving as focal points have strengthened their capacities and advocate for the issue in relevant forums.

Cooperation and strategic alliances:
South-South and Triangular cooperation have been enhanced, demonstrating that the region and its social partners have the capacity, knowledge, and experience to achieve Target 8.7. In this context, interregional exchange between Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa has been initiated to accelerate coordinated efforts to eradicate child labour.

Early response to the emergence of child labour:
In partnership with ECLAC, the Child Labour Risk Identification Model (CLRISK) has been created to disrupt the trajectory of child labour in vulnerable territories and productive sectors. This preventive model is based on the provision of public services and the promotion of public-private partnerships, especially in crisis and fragile contexts such as those generated by the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, 11 countries in the region have implemented CLRISK in their territories to prioritize interventions within the framework of national public policies for the prevention and eradication of child labour, thus maximizing resources.

Leave no one behind:
The gender strategy of the Regional Initiative has been defined, promoting the visibility, recognition, and gender-focused approach to the inequalities affecting children, and adolescents in child labour context.