Independent Final Evaluation of the ACCEL Africa Project (Phase 1)

This document provides an overview of the independent final evaluation of the ACCEL Africa (Phase 1) project, which aims to accelerate the elimination of child labour in key supply chains in Africa. Funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands and implemented between November 2018 and 2023, the project targeted the gold, cocoa, cotton, tea, and coffee sectors, focusing on public policy, empowerment, and global partnerships.

The evaluation assessed the project’s achievements and challenges using stakeholder interviews, focus group discussions, and desk research. It applied international evaluation standards to analyse relevance, coherence, design validity, and effectiveness.

Key findings highlighted the project's responsiveness to local needs, its alignment with national and international priorities, and its success in empowering communities. However, the evaluation noted gaps in engaging all supply chain actors and integrating environmental concerns. Insights on country-specific successes, such as youth training in Nigeria and cooperative support in Côte d’Ivoire, demonstrate the project's impactful approaches to combating child labour.