Our international grants support projects to combat some of the most abusive labor practices, including the use of child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking in global supply chains. ILAB-funded projects also promote trade partners’ compliance with the labor requirements of U.S. trade agreements and preference programs – helping to ensure a fair global playing field for workers in the United States and around the world.
Results
Leveraging Data to Build an Efficient Labor Market in Central America10/01/2017 - 09/30/2022 All economies, whether in the United States or in Central America (El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras), need timely, accurate information to fuel efficiencies in their labor markets. These efficiencies, in turn, help ensure social stability and contribute to economic growth – both within countries and beyond. This project will seek to strengthen labor market information systems in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras to create useful labor market intelligence -- helping workers to find jobs, employers to fill the skills gap and economies to grow. |
American Institutes for Research |
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Worker Rights Centers for the Greater Protection of Labor Rights in Colombia12/26/2016 - 09/30/2023 This project supports the government of Colombia in meeting its commitments to the U.S. under the Action Plan associated with the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement. |
Escuela Nacional Sindical (ENS) |
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Engaging Workers and Civil Society to Strengthen Labor Law Enforcement09/01/2018 - 09/30/2023 Workers and civil society organizations help to supplement and support government labor law enforcement efforts by proactively identifying potential labor violations and filing justiciable complaints with the appropriate authorities. This project works in U.S. trade partner countries to improve labor law enforcement, as well as compliance with labor-related U.S. trade provisions, by improving the involvement of workers and civil society organizations in this process. |
Solidarity Center |
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Improving Working Conditions in the Mexican Automotive Supply Chain (CALLE)12/15/2019 - 03/30/2024 The Improving Working Conditions in the Mexican Automotive Supply Chain project is working to improve the quality of inspections and inspection follow-ups conducted by labor inspectors; strengthen government administration and coordination of the labor inspectorate and other institutions involved in labor law enforcement; and strengthen the ability of labor courts and other institutions to effectively conciliate and adjudicate labor cases, including administration and coordination of union representation challenges. |
American Institutes for Research |
|
Improving Labor Law Enforcement in Guatemala10/01/2018 - 06/30/2024 Promoting acceptable working conditions in trade partner countries helps the U.S. create a fair playing field for its own workforce and for U.S. companies that play by the rules. This project seeks to ensure that workers in the agricultural export sector in Guatemala, with whom the U.S. has a free trade agreement, receive at least the minimum wage, work within legal hours of work limits, receive due compensation for overtime, and operate in a safe working environment. |
International Labor Organization (ILO) |
|
Improving Workers’ Rights in the Rural Sectors of the Indo Pacific with a Focus on Women12/01/2020 - 11/30/2024 Despite the significance of the agriculture, fishing, and mining industries to the US’ trade relations with Philippines and Indonesia, these sectors are characterized by poverty and poor working conditions, especially at the lower tiers of the supply chain in rural areas. |
International Labor Organization (ILO) |
|
Advancing Labor Compliance in Colombia’s Port Sector12/20/2020 - 12/20/2024 The project aims to improve compliance with national laws related to internationally recognized labor rights in the port sector. These include, but are not limited to, the right to freedom of association, the right to collective bargaining, prohibition against discrimination at work, elimination of forced labor and child labor, and rights to acceptable conditions of work with respect to minimum wages, hours of work, and occupational safety and health. |
Partners of the Americas |
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All Hands in Kenya: Advancing Labor Standards through Cooperative Action12/01/2020 - 12/31/2024 |
International Labor Organization (ILO) |
|
Support the Promotion of Labor Standards in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)12/15/2021 - 04/14/2025 This project seeks to promote greater compliance with labor law and standards for acceptable conditions of work, including occupational safety and health, hours of work, and wages in the DRC’s mining, distribution, and construction/public works sectors. |
International Labor Organization (ILO) |
|
Strengthening Workers’ Ability to Exercise their Labor Rights in Mexico12/31/2020 - 06/30/2025 To build the capacity of workers, support worker engagement and organizing, and strengthen democratic worker organizations in the aerospace, mining, and call center industries, such that they become protagonists in fulfilling the potential of Mexico’s historic labor reform. The project will offer workers and their organizations expert technical assistance, ongoing skills development, and pro bono advisory and legal services. Additionally, the project will create spaces for analysis, exchange, reflection, and the development of recommendations to improve labor law reform implementation. |
Solidarity Center |
|
Leveraging Data to Build an Efficient Labor Market in Central America10/01/2017 - 09/30/2022 All economies, whether in the United States or in Central America (El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras), need timely, accurate information to fuel efficiencies in their labor markets. These efficiencies, in turn, help ensure social stability and contribute to economic growth – both within countries and beyond. This project will seek to strengthen labor market information systems in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras to create useful labor market intelligence -- helping workers to find jobs, employers to fill the skills gap and economies to grow. |
American Institutes for Research |
|
Worker Rights Centers for the Greater Protection of Labor Rights in Colombia12/26/2016 - 09/30/2023 This project supports the government of Colombia in meeting its commitments to the U.S. under the Action Plan associated with the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement. |
Escuela Nacional Sindical (ENS) |
|
Engaging Workers and Civil Society to Strengthen Labor Law Enforcement09/01/2018 - 09/30/2023 Workers and civil society organizations help to supplement and support government labor law enforcement efforts by proactively identifying potential labor violations and filing justiciable complaints with the appropriate authorities. This project works in U.S. trade partner countries to improve labor law enforcement, as well as compliance with labor-related U.S. trade provisions, by improving the involvement of workers and civil society organizations in this process. |
Solidarity Center |
|
Improving Working Conditions in the Mexican Automotive Supply Chain (CALLE)12/15/2019 - 03/30/2024 The Improving Working Conditions in the Mexican Automotive Supply Chain project is working to improve the quality of inspections and inspection follow-ups conducted by labor inspectors; strengthen government administration and coordination of the labor inspectorate and other institutions involved in labor law enforcement; and strengthen the ability of labor courts and other institutions to effectively conciliate and adjudicate labor cases, including administration and coordination of union representation challenges. |
American Institutes for Research |
|
Improving Labor Law Enforcement in Guatemala10/01/2018 - 06/30/2024 Promoting acceptable working conditions in trade partner countries helps the U.S. create a fair playing field for its own workforce and for U.S. companies that play by the rules. This project seeks to ensure that workers in the agricultural export sector in Guatemala, with whom the U.S. has a free trade agreement, receive at least the minimum wage, work within legal hours of work limits, receive due compensation for overtime, and operate in a safe working environment. |
International Labor Organization (ILO) |
|
Improving Workers’ Rights in the Rural Sectors of the Indo Pacific with a Focus on Women12/01/2020 - 11/30/2024 Despite the significance of the agriculture, fishing, and mining industries to the US’ trade relations with Philippines and Indonesia, these sectors are characterized by poverty and poor working conditions, especially at the lower tiers of the supply chain in rural areas. |
International Labor Organization (ILO) |
|
Advancing Labor Compliance in Colombia’s Port Sector12/20/2020 - 12/20/2024 The project aims to improve compliance with national laws related to internationally recognized labor rights in the port sector. These include, but are not limited to, the right to freedom of association, the right to collective bargaining, prohibition against discrimination at work, elimination of forced labor and child labor, and rights to acceptable conditions of work with respect to minimum wages, hours of work, and occupational safety and health. |
Partners of the Americas |
|
All Hands in Kenya: Advancing Labor Standards through Cooperative Action12/01/2020 - 12/31/2024 |
International Labor Organization (ILO) |
|
Support the Promotion of Labor Standards in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)12/15/2021 - 04/14/2025 This project seeks to promote greater compliance with labor law and standards for acceptable conditions of work, including occupational safety and health, hours of work, and wages in the DRC’s mining, distribution, and construction/public works sectors. |
International Labor Organization (ILO) |
|
Strengthening Workers’ Ability to Exercise their Labor Rights in Mexico12/31/2020 - 06/30/2025 To build the capacity of workers, support worker engagement and organizing, and strengthen democratic worker organizations in the aerospace, mining, and call center industries, such that they become protagonists in fulfilling the potential of Mexico’s historic labor reform. The project will offer workers and their organizations expert technical assistance, ongoing skills development, and pro bono advisory and legal services. Additionally, the project will create spaces for analysis, exchange, reflection, and the development of recommendations to improve labor law reform implementation. |
Solidarity Center |
|