The U.S. Department of Labor yesterday announced a $4m grant to support the International Labour Organisation in implementing a technical assistance project in West Africa.
In a statement, it said the ILO would work with the government of Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to initiate a regional, national and local action to address child labour in the agriculture sector and communities.
“The ILO and UNICEF currently estimate that more children are working in child labor in Africa than in the rest of the world combined.
“In the West Africa region covered by ECOWAS, at least 23 percent of all children are estimated to be used as child labor.
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“The project is part of the department’s continued effort to address unacceptable labor practices where evidence indicates they are most prevalent.”
It said the project, which would be administered by the department’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs, included technical assistance to ECOWAS in support of its regional plan of action to address child labour.
It also said the grant would support Nigeria’s efforts to improve the legislative, enforcement and policy environment on child labor issues and promote local efforts to address child labor in cocoa-producing communities.
