Towards SDG Target 8.7: prevention and elimination of child labour in Burkina Faso’s cotton production sector.
Child labour is present in the garment, textile and cotton supply chain in multiple countries around the world. It is found particularly in Africa and Asia where cotton production systems are labour intensive and/or are dominated by small-holder farms.
25 October 2022
To address the problem of child labour in Burkina Faso’s cotton production sector, the ILO implements an integrated multi-stakeholder and community-based program in Burkina Faso’s South West region, with the support of Germany and the European Union. The program is focused on prevention, awareness-raising, community monitoring and the socio-economic reintegration of child labour victims. The implementation is done in close collaboration with the regional and local government, civil society and local communities. Child protection networks and community-based child protection councils were set up in 5 municipalities and 20 villages. With the support of the cotton producers' cooperative societies, 250 children were withdrawn from child labour in the cotton fields, reintegrated in the formal educational system and provided with short-term vocational training in breeding, soap making based on shea butter and home-based solar electricity.