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
Improving Respect for Workers’ Rights in Agricultural Supply Chains in Honduras and Guatemala, and the Maquila Sector in El Salvador12/15/2021 - 08/14/2025 Photo by Luis Fuentes Part of the Root Causes of Migration Strategy for northern Central America, this project seeks to improve workers’ rights in Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador by supporting workers’ organizations in the banana, melon, palm oil, and pineapple sectors in Honduras; the banana and palm oil sectors in Guatemala; and in the garments (maquila) sector in El Salvador. |
Solidarity Center |
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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) |
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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 |
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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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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) |
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All Hands in Kenya: Advancing Labor Standards through Cooperative Action12/01/2020 - 12/31/2024 |
International Labor Organization (ILO) |
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Better Work - Ethiopia11/19/2020 - 12/31/2025 Better Work is a comprehensive program that brings together all levels of the apparel industry to improve working conditions and respect of labor rights for workers, while boosting the competitiveness of apparel businesses. As a result of their participation with Better Work, export apparel factories in Ethiopia have improved compliance with labor law including issues of compensation, contracts, occupational safety and health and working time. By enhancing working conditions, Better Work Ethiopia increases the factories’ productivity and profitability. |
International Labor Organization (ILO) |
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Helping Protect Armenians’ Rights Together11/12/2020 - 05/11/2024 This project will promote greater compliance with labor law and increase workers’ access to judicial and non-judicial remedies for labor violations in Armenia, with a focus on the mining and service sectors. |
International Labor Organization (ILO) |
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Mexico Auto Employers11/01/2020 - 10/31/2026 The Mexico Auto Employers project aims to bring automotive sector employers into compliance with the country’s labor law reforms while improving working conditions in the automotive supply sector. The project strives to reach this goal by raising awareness of the labor reforms, supporting employers to implement relevant provisions and proactively adopt policies for compliance, and strengthening industrial relations between employers and workers. |
Pan American Development Foundation |
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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 |
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Improving Respect for Workers’ Rights in Agricultural Supply Chains in Honduras and Guatemala, and the Maquila Sector in El Salvador12/15/2021 - 08/14/2025 Photo by Luis Fuentes Part of the Root Causes of Migration Strategy for northern Central America, this project seeks to improve workers’ rights in Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador by supporting workers’ organizations in the banana, melon, palm oil, and pineapple sectors in Honduras; the banana and palm oil sectors in Guatemala; and in the garments (maquila) sector in El Salvador. |
Solidarity Center |
|
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 |
|
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 |
|
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) |
|
All Hands in Kenya: Advancing Labor Standards through Cooperative Action12/01/2020 - 12/31/2024 |
International Labor Organization (ILO) |
|
Better Work - Ethiopia11/19/2020 - 12/31/2025 Better Work is a comprehensive program that brings together all levels of the apparel industry to improve working conditions and respect of labor rights for workers, while boosting the competitiveness of apparel businesses. As a result of their participation with Better Work, export apparel factories in Ethiopia have improved compliance with labor law including issues of compensation, contracts, occupational safety and health and working time. By enhancing working conditions, Better Work Ethiopia increases the factories’ productivity and profitability. |
International Labor Organization (ILO) |
|
Helping Protect Armenians’ Rights Together11/12/2020 - 05/11/2024 This project will promote greater compliance with labor law and increase workers’ access to judicial and non-judicial remedies for labor violations in Armenia, with a focus on the mining and service sectors. |
International Labor Organization (ILO) |
|
Mexico Auto Employers11/01/2020 - 10/31/2026 The Mexico Auto Employers project aims to bring automotive sector employers into compliance with the country’s labor law reforms while improving working conditions in the automotive supply sector. The project strives to reach this goal by raising awareness of the labor reforms, supporting employers to implement relevant provisions and proactively adopt policies for compliance, and strengthening industrial relations between employers and workers. |
Pan American Development Foundation |
|
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 |
|