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Technical Cooperation Project Summary

Project Title

Combating Child Labor in the Coffee Sector

Region/Country

THE AMERICAS/Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua

Project Duration

September 1999 – September 2004

Fiscal Year & Funding Level

FY 1999: USD 6,112,187

Problem to be Addressed

Child labor in the coffee industry of Central America and the Dominican Republic.

Results

There were 11,329 child laborers engaged in the coffee industry withdrawn in the following areas: Turrialba and Guanacaste/Puntarenas of Costa Rica; San Jose de Ocoa Province of the Dominican Republic; Departments of Sonsonate and Ahuachapán in El Salvador; the Department of San Marcos of Guatemala; Municipality of Trinidad of the Department of Santa Barbara, Honduras; and Departments of Matagalpa and Jinotega, Nicaragua.
There were 14,750 children prevented from entering work in the coffee sector.

Project Objectives

Development Objective:
To contribute to the prevention and progressive elimination of child labor in the coffee sector of Central America and the Dominican Republic and in other hazardous activities in the commercial agriculture sector in the implementation areas identified by the project.

Regional Immediate Objectives

  • Ensure the effective implementation of five national projects in coffee production in Central America and the Dominican Republic; and
  • Sensitize Chambers of Commerce, Associations and Councils of Coffee Producers and Coffee Plantation Owners, governmental bodies and NGOs to the problem of child labor and secure their public, political, and financial commitments to the project.

National Immediate Objectives

  • Reduce child labor in the large and small-scale coffee plantations and in other hazardous activities in the coffee and commercial agriculture sector in the implementation areas identified by the project;
  • Mobilize the Chambers of Commerce and Private Enterprises, the Coffee Institutes, the Coffee-Growers Associations, and the Consortium of Coffee-Growers Cooperatives to take action against child labor; and strengthen the capacity of implementing agencies in the design, management, and evaluation of child labor action programs; and
  • Establish and implement a child labor monitoring system.

Summary of Activities
  • Provided the children and their families with viable alternatives through a package of social protection measures;
  • Mobilized support and worked in close partnership with the coffee producers, communities, families, NGOs, and the governments in the region in order to sustain action to prevent child labor;
  • Designed and implemented a credible child labor monitoring and verification system; and
  • Promoted the sharing of experience in the prevention and elimination of child labor in the coffee sector at the national and sub-regional levels.

Grantee

International Labor Organization’s International Program on the Elimination of Child Labor (ILO/IPEC)

Implementing Partners

In all countries: Ministries of Labor, Education, Family, and Health; Coffee and other agricultural producers and plantation owners; Chambers and National Coffee Associations and Councils.

Costa Rica: Fundación Acción Solidaria (ACSOL), Fundación Costa Rica para el Desarrollo Sostenible (CENTRO SOL), Guanacaste, Defensa de los Niños Internacional (DNI), Fundación Hijos del Campo, The Coffee Institute (ICAFE)

Dominican Republic: Asociación de Desarrollo de San José de Ocoa, Asociación de Organizaciones de Desarrollo de Baní.

El Salvador: CARE El Salvador, Catholic Relief Services.

Guatemala: Fundación Rural, HOPE, Pastoral Social, Cooperativa de Periodísticas Departamentales de Guatemala.

Honduras: Centro de Estudios y Acción para el Desarrollo (CESADE), Project HOPE, Fundación para el desarrollo de las comunidades cafetaleras de Honduras (BANHCAFE).

Nicaragua: Centro de Servicios Educativos en Salud y Medio Ambiente (CESESMA), Asociación de Cafetaleros de Matagalpa (ASOCAFEMAT), La Cuculmeca, Asociación de Cafetaleros de Jinotega (ASOCAFEJI).

Contact Information

Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor, and Human Trafficking (OCFT)

(202) 693-4843