Within the framework of the ILO South-South Cooperation Programme, the distance learning course “Strengthening the capacities of Labour Inspections to eradicate child labour: strengthening partnerships between CPLP countries (Community of Portuguese Language Countries) through South-South Cooperation”, is taking place from 27 February to 17 March 2023.
This course is aimed at labour inspectors from CPLP member countries and is co-organized by the ILO and the CPLP Executive Secretariat, with the financial support of the Portuguese Institute for Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP).
The objective of the course is to create and strengthen partnerships between the Labour Inspectorates of the CPLP member countries to improve their capacities to identify, prevent and remedy child labour cases, in particular the worst forms of child labour.
To this end, the training will foster the exchange of information between countries on the gaps and challenges encountered, as well as knowledge and experience on how national legislation on child labour, especially in its worst forms, is being implemented.
During the first session of this course, held on February 27, Mafalda Troncho, Director of ILO Lisbon’s Office highlighted the importance of the course for joining efforts in the fight against child labour through cooperation between the ILO and the CPLP, as well as for the exchange of good practices. In turn, Manuel Clarote Lapão, Director of Cooperation of the CPLP, underlined the objective of the course to provide the necessary tools and training to address child labour.
Anita Amorim, Head of the ILO’s Special and Emerging Partnerships Unit, stressed the importance of South-South in the eradication of child labour and the relevance of the CPLP for the ILO as there are common interests in favour of children.
It should be noted that the background to the present course is the 2004 Memorandum of Understanding between the CPLP and the ILO, which enabled the expansion of policies in the areas of decent work, social protection, child labour, and labour inspection, and represented a major boost for the deepening of South-South and triangular cooperation among the CPLP member states in the social area. This was reinforced in 2021, when the CPLP approved a Plan of Action to Combat Child Labour 2021-2025, which provides for the promotion of training and capacity-building activities in labour inspection.
For more information on the methodology and contents of the course, click here.