Reducing Vulnerability in Lao People's Democratic Republic: Advancing Social Protection and Labour Rights and Entitlements in the Coffee, Tea and Forestry Sectors (SOLAR) - Phase II

Workers and households engaged in the coffee, tea, and forestry sectors in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic are mostly found in informal and vulnerable employment. It is often unpaid (in the form of contributing family work), seasonal, and usually without proper employment contracts and social security coverage. They can be subject to labour rights violations, work in unhealthy and unsafe environments, including violence and harassment against women.

The project “Reducing vulnerability in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic: Advancing social protection and labour rights and entitlements in the coffee, tea and forestry sectors – Phase II” (SOLAR II) aims to ensure that such workers have better access to social protection, occupational safety and health measures, and social dialogue platforms. It is implemented by ILO and Oxfam through a participatory approach, involving government, workers and their representative individuals and organisations, employer representatives and buyers, local authorities, and civil society organisations.

SOLAR II seeks to replicate the SOLAR – Phase I interventions in more regions of Lao PDR. The project’s final beneficiaries are 32,000 workers in the coffee, tea, and forestry sectors across 7 provinces and 16 districts of the country.

SOLAR II is the third outcome of the “Team Europe Partnership with Lao PDR to increase sustainable and inclusive Trade, Investment and Connectivity in the Agriculture and Forestry sectors” (TICAF), which aims to contribute to green, sustainable and inclusive growth through increased domestic production, processing, exports and decent work in the coffee, tea, and wood value chains.

Expected outputs

• Pilots to improve enforcement of the Social Security Law and Labour Law at the local level tested and promoted.
• Recommendations to strengthen policy and institutional frameworks for social protection and labour rights advocated.
• Increased awareness of the benefits of social security registration and their labour rights and entitlements among coffee, tea and forestry sector workers.
• Enhanced capacities of district and village authorities, sectoral associations, civil society, and informal workers to facilitate access to social protection, occupational safety and health, and other labour rights.
• Improved organization and strengthened leadership and management skills of informal women workers.
  

© Mongkhon Duangkhiew

© Mongkhon Duangkhiew

For further information please contact:

Ms Loveleen De
Project Manager
Email: [email protected]

Ms Noutthong Alounthong
National Project Coordinator
Email: [email protected]