WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs today announced the award of a $5 million cooperative agreement to the International Labour Organization to implement a project to reduce child labor in Burma and support the Government of Burma's efforts to comply with international standards.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs today announced a $2 million grant award to improve compliance with labor laws in the Democratic Republic of Georgia. The grant provides funding for a project that will be developed and implemented through a cooperative agreement between the department and the International Labour Organization.

WASHINGTON — In a meeting on Monday, Nov. 11, during the Inter-American Conference of Ministries of Labor held in Medellín, Colombia, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Labor Seth Harris and Colombian Minister of Labor Rafael Pardo Rueda agreed to continue bilateral meetings on the commitments in the Colombian Action Plan Related to Labor Rights through at least 2014. Both sides recognized advances made by Colombia under the Action Plan to date, while underscoring several areas of mutual concern.

WASHINGTON — Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez today announced the release of a new report and updated list on child labor and forced labor and the award of $26 million in grants to combat child labor in four countries. The event at the department's headquarters included remarks by Secretary Perez, Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa and former Secretary of Labor Alexis Herman, as well as a video message from Dr. Maya Soetoro-Ng of the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez today released a report regarding labor concerns in the Dominican sugar sector in response to a public submission filed under the Labor Chapter of the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR). The department also announced a $10 million project to reduce child labor and to improve labor rights and working conditions in the Dominican agriculture sector.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs will award up to $1 million to one or more organizations to help build the capacity of civil society organizations, including non-governmental organizations and trade unions, in the Kingdom of Morocco to address working women's issues and empower women to more fully exercise their labor rights, the agency announced today.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs today announced a $5 million solicitation for cooperative agreement applications to support Burma's efforts to reduce child labor.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs today announced the award of up to $2 million to one or more organizations to achieve improved compliance with labor laws in the Democratic Republic of Georgia.

The aim of the project(s) is to improve government labor laws and respect for international labor standards while enhancing the effectiveness of worker organizations in representing workers' rights and interests. The project(s) will be funded up to four years and six months.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs today announced a revised "List of Products Produced by Forced or Indentured Child Labor," adding six new products from five countries. Federal contractors supplying products on the list must certify the goods were not produced by forced or indentured child labor in accordance with Executive Order 13126.

WASHINGTON — The following is a joint statement from the Department of Labor, Office of the United States Trade Representative, and the State Department:

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs is seeking eligible applicants for a $5 million cooperative agreement to reduce child labor and help youth of legal working age secure decent work in Morocco. The project will focus on supporting efforts in rural areas and areas in the process of urbanization that immediately adjoin cities and towns.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs today announced a $1.5 million competitive solicitation to fund one or more projects to strengthen the information systems used to manage labor inspections and labor cases in El Salvador and Honduras.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) today announced a $3 million grant solicitation to help Ugandan youth develop marketable skills to secure decent work and to serve as civic leaders in their communities.

ILAB's African Youth Empowerment and Development Initiative is designed to support President Obama's Young African Leaders Initiative. The president's program is focused on investing in the next generation of African leaders and strengthening partnerships between the United States and Africa.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs today announced a $2 million competitive solicitation to fund one or more projects to reduce child labor in the home-based production of carpets in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs today announced a $7.7 million competitive solicitation for a cooperative agreement to support a reduction of the worst forms of child labor by building local and national capacity of governments in at least 10 countries.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs today announced a $2.5 million competitive grant solicitation to fund improvements in the enforcement and monitoring of fire and building safety standards to better protect workers in the ready-made garment sector of Bangladesh.

WASHINGTON — Senior officials of the U.S. Department of Labor and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative today issued a joint statement with their counterparts from the Government of Colombia following the first meeting of the Labor Affairs Council under the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs today announced a $9 million competitive grant solicitation for one or more projects to reduce child labor in the artisanal mining sector of Colombia.

Thousands of children work in Colombia's mining sector, where they labor alongside adults and are exposed to physical injuries, dangerous tools, hazardous substances, toxic gases and explosions. Many people are not aware that children face these hazards.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs is seeking eligible applicants for a $10 million cooperative agreement on a project to address child labor, labor rights and working conditions in the Dominican Republic's agricultural sector, including in sugarcane and production supply chains.