Launch of the South-South cooperation project “Decent Work and Social Justice” between Brazil and the ILO, 14 October 2024

Brazil and the International Labour Organization (ILO) have officially launched a new trilateral South-South cooperation project entitled ‘Decent Work and Social Justice’. This initiative, developed in partnership with the Brazilian Ministry of Labour and Employment, marks a new stage in the global struggle to promote fundamental labour rights and social justice.

This ambitious project, with a budget of 5 million dollars, is part of the ‘South-South Programme: Social Justice for the Global South’, an initiative that promotes cooperation between Brazil, the ILO and other countries in the Global South. It aims to address crucial issues such as the eradication of child and forced labour, the promotion of gender equality and the improvement of health and safety conditions in the workplace.

Since signing the initial agreement with the ILO in 1987, Brazil has established itself as a world leader in South-South cooperation, investing more than $27 million in social projects in nearly 40 countries. This ongoing cooperation has enabled Brazil to share its successes, particularly in the fight against child labour and forced labour, with other countries in Latin America, Africa and beyond.

The ‘Decent Work and Social Justice’ project symbolises a strong commitment by Brazil and the ILO to promote innovative and inclusive solutions to labour challenges in developing countries. This initiative highlights the importance of South-South cooperation in creating a fairer and more equitable future for all workers, both in Brazil and in other regions of the world.

The signatories, under the witnessing by the Brazilian Agency of Cooperation (ABC), Francisco Macena da Silva, Executive Secretary of the Brazilian Ministry of Labour and Employment and Ana Virginia Moreira Gomes, Regional Director of the ILO Office for Latin America and the Caribbean, all emphasised the importance of the project in promoting sustainable and equitable social justice, not only in Brazil, but also on a global scale.

This new project marks a significant milestone in sharing Brazil’s successes, particularly in the fight against forced labour and child labour, with other countries in Africa and Latin America.

For more information, please contact the Brazilian Ministry of Labour and Employment and the International Labour Organisation (ILO).