Specialists from 31 countries across the Latin America and Caribbean region, along with employers’ and workers’ organizations, the ILO, and development cooperation partners, convened in Brazil to discuss progress and challenges in eradicating child labour in the region.
BRASILIA (ILO News) – Emerging partnerships and the Regional Initiative (RI) for a Latin America and Caribbean Free of Child Labour have joined forces to strengthen efforts to eradicate child labour, in alignment with Sustainable Development Goal 8 of the 2030 Agenda. These partnerships can tackle the eradication of child labour by offering resources, promoting knowledge-sharing, and fostering innovative, impactful solutions.
In turn, the Regional Initiative exemplifies how South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) serves as a dynamic and effective tool for addressing shared challenges. Various global and regional partnerships—such as the G20, G77, United Nations (UN), United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC), High-Level Committee (HLC), IBAS, BRICS, and SEGIB—contribute to the exchange of best practices in Ibero-America, particularly benefiting Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and SELAC (Latin American and Caribbean Social Network). These entities can learn from and share lessons with the Regional Initiative in the Americas in combating child labour.
In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Regional Initiative, specialists from 31 countries, employers’ and workers’ organizations, the International Labour Organization (ILO), and development cooperation partners gathered in Brasília, Brazil, from October 15 to 18 October to discuss progress and challenges in eradicating child labour across the region.
The event was jointly organised by the Regional Initiative and the ILO, with support from the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC), the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation, the Andalusian Agency for International Development Cooperation, and the United States Department of Labor.
The ILO was represented by the Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Ana Virgínia Moreira Gomes; the head of the Section on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, Philippe Vanhuynegem; the Director for Brazil, Vinícius Pinheiro; RI Coordinator, Pilar Rodriguez; the Head of the Emerging and Special Partnerships Unit (ESPU), Anita Amorim; and the Coordinator for South-South and Triangular Cooperation, Fernanda Barreto, among other staff members.
Throughout the event, ILO specialists contributed to thematic dialogues, including a panel on “South-South and Triangular Cooperation: Towards a Region Free of Child Labour.” This panel focused on mechanisms beyond the Regional Initiative that could be mutually supportive, with contributions from Jamaica, Haiti, Mexico, and the Brazilian Agency for Cooperation (ABC), of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MRE). The discussions highlighted the importance of additional frameworks to enhance collaboration and effectiveness in tackling child labour.
Panel participants also reflected on the achievements and lessons learned by the Regional Initiative since its creation in 2014. They highlighted the collaboration of 31 countries and the implementation of over 100 initiatives in the last five years. A key takeaway was the recognition of the significant potential for fundraising and the establishment of direct trust funds, which could further strengthen efforts to combat child labour in the region. The consensus was that by leveraging these frameworks, countries can pool resources and knowledge to develop solutions tailored to their specific challenges in eradicating child labour.
This panel enabled participants to explore for new engagement opportunities in new and emerging mechanisms of cooperation between countries in the Global South.