This innovative project addressed the main root causes of child labour: weak legal framework, limited capacities of public authorities and social partners, poverty, low literacy levels, lack of skills, cultural traditions, and misconceptions on child labour. Through differentiated synergetic activities, the implementing partners helped improve policy and legal frameworks, raise awareness about the consequences of child labour to gain beneficiaries’ ownership. The strengthened capacities of key stakeholders, including public authorities, social partners, and cotton cooperatives, helped increase knowledge and data about child labour. Working directly with affected communities, ILO and FAO contributed to address poverty through income generating activities and Village Saving and Loans Associations. Thousands of children were withdrawn from work and placed in accelerated schooling centres, older children received vocational trainings to help them get a better employment. The approach piloted in CLEAR Cotton is currently replicated in the new EU flagship project CLEAR Supply chains in the coffee production. CLEAR Cotton results and reports are collected on this website.

During the conference DG INTPA, ILO and FAO will present the key results of the project CLEAR Cotton. We will also briefly announce the start of the new project CLEAR Supply Chains.

The project CLEAR Cotton aimed at eliminating child labour and forced labour in the cotton, textile and garment value chains in target producing countries (Burkina Faso, Mali and Pakistan) through enhanced national legislation and policies and addressing the basic needs and rights of children engaged or at risk of child labour, and of victims of forced labour. The project applied an integrated area based approach that is embedded in the cotton value chain in cooperation with local producers and international buyers.

Language: English

Q&A session languages: English 

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