Launch of GALAB project in Mauritania to combat child labour and forced labour

NOUAKCHOTT (ILO News) – The International Labour Organization (ILO) is pleased to announce the launch of the GALAB Project (Global Accelerator Lab) in Mauritania, an initiative aimed at combating child labour, trafficking, and exploitation in the region. The project is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) and will play a crucial role in addressing decent work deficits, particularly for migrant women and children. The GALAB Project will focus on the protection of vulnerable populations, especially in the Hodh el Garbi region.

One of the key components of the project is the establishment of a Migrant Women Worker Resource Center (MWRC) in Kobenni, Aioun, and in the migration corridor of Nioro du Sahel (Mali). This center aims to prevent the trafficking of girls from rural Mali into Mauritania and support them in safeguarding their rights, including protection against child labour. This initiative aligns with the Ministry of Labour's National Action Plan to combat child labour (PANETE-RIM).

The project will also collaborate closely with regional authorities, the Regional Union of Women's Agricultural Cooperatives (URCAFHG), and the Tripartite Committee for Domestic Employment in Aioun and Kobenni. Together, they will conduct orientation seminars for migrant workers, children of slave descendants, employers, regulators, and domestic worker associations, with support from the International Domestic Workers Federation (IDWF).

In addition, the GALAB Project will engage with stakeholders of the regional child protection coordination mechanism and the Ministry of Social Action, Women, and Childhood (MASEF) to raise awareness about child protection issues. This will be done in partnership with the National Commission to Combat Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling (INLCTPTM) and the Labour Inspectorate. Coordination mechanisms will be strengthened to promote access to protection and justice for affected individuals.

The GALAB Project will also support the organization of the Alliance 8.7 National Round Table in Mauritania, in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and Civil Service, MASEF, and INLCTPTM. This round table will bring together key stakeholders to discuss strategies for eliminating child labour and human trafficking in Mauritania.

The project will work in synergy with two other ILO initiatives: Building the Labour Inspectorate Capacity to Promote Compliance with Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, funded by USDOS’s African Regional Democracy Fund (ARDF), and Empowerment for Resilience: Survivors Combat Slavery and Slavery-based Discrimination through Sector-based Social Partnerships and Sub-regional Collaboration, funded by USDOL’s DRL/IHTIRAM. These efforts will focus on improving working conditions, promoting unionization, and preventing forced labour, particularly in domestic employment.

The Global Accelerator Lab (GALAB) project, funded by the United States Department of Labour (USDOL) with a total budget of $13.4 million, is a major component of the International Labour Organization's (ILO) 8.7 Accelerator Lab initiative. It addresses the critical issue of child labour, a key barrier to achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 8.7 on decent work and economic growth.

The GALAB project operates on a global scale, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing across regions. Through targeted interventions in several countries (Brazil, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Malaysia, Mauritania, Nigeria and Somalia) and regions (Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean), the project also delivers impactful results at the global, regional and national levels.