Skip to page content
Bureau of International Labor Affairs
Bookmark and Share
DOL Home > ILAB > Technical Cooperation Project Summary

Technical Cooperation Project Summary

Project Title

Supporting the Timebound Program to Eliminate the Worst Forms of Child Labor in South Africa, and Laying the Basis for Concerted Action Against the Worst Forms of Child Labor in Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland

Region/Country

SOUTHERN AFRICA/Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Swaziland, (BLNS) and South Africa

Project Duration

September 30, 2003 – June 30, 2008

Fiscal Year & Funding Level

FY 2003: USD 5,000,000

Problem to be Addressed

In South Africa, the project supported the government’s Child Labor Action Programme and focused on children working in bonded labor and hazardous work, as well as children exploited in commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking. In BLNS, there was limited information on children working in the worst forms of child labor. The project focused on contributing to the knowledge and information base on child labor and piloting methods to address child labor in BLNS. The project also facilitated the sharing of experience and best practices on a regional level.

Results

This project withdrew or prevented 5,421 children from exploitive child labor in South Africa.

Project Objectives

To contribute to the elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labor (WFCL) in Southern Africa by supporting the National Plan of Action in South Africa (CLPA) and enhancing the capacity to address WFCL in BLNS.

Intermediate objectives included:

  • Introduce effective policies and programs for tackling child labor, especially in its worst forms, in South Africa;
  • Develop models of intervention for dealing with selected WFCL in South Africa to inform policy; and
  • Create an enabling environment for the elimination of WFCL in the other countries in the region to ensure policies and programs for tackling sub-regional child labor issues, especially in its worst forms, become more effective.

Summary of Activities

South Africa

  • Produced qualitative and quantitative information on magnitude, characteristics, causes, and consequences of selected forms of child labor;
  • Researched information on initiatives potentially having a significant effect on WFCL, with emphasis on the role of education;
  • Compiled a report on good practices in action against child labor in South Africa, including recommendations for replication;
  • Produced a new list of hazardous activities, and legislation and policy proposals on child labor; and trained police and judicial officers, Home Affairs and other key government officials, and helpline operators and teachers on child labor issues;
  • Developed a monitoring and evaluation system for the CLPA;
  • Developed a national and local awareness-raising campaign;
  • Provided educational rehabilitation for children educationally disadvantaged because of child labor; and
  • Researched and piloted child labor projects.

Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Swaziland

  • Produced qualitative and quantitative information on the magnitude, characteristics, causes, and consequences of selected forms of child labor;
  • Developed action plans on child labor in the four countries; and
  • Implemented and documented pilot interventions.

Regional Activities

  • Produced qualitative and quantitative information on the magnitude, characteristics, causes, and consequences of child labor of a sub-regional nature; and
  • Facilitated concerted action against WFCL in the sub-region.

Grantee

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

Implementing partners

The partners in this project were government ministries or departments at national and local government level, workers’ and employers’ organizations, NGOs, research institutions, international and regional organisations, and National Steering Committees.

Contact Information

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

(202) 693-4843