Forced Labour, Modern Slavery, Human Trafficking and Child Labour
Abidjan to host the regional consultation on SDG Alliance 8.7 in Africa
The first sub regional dialogue on ending forced labour, modern slavery, human trafficking and child labour in will be held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, from 8-9 September 2016 in the presence of Ms Dominique Ouattara, First Lady of Côte d’Ivoire and Mr Aeneas Chuma, Assistant Director-General of the ILO and Regional Director for Africa.
ABIDJAN (ILO News) – The first sub regional consultation on SDG 8.7 in Africa organised by the International Labour Organization (ILO), will be held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, from 8-9 September 2016 in the presence of Ms Dominique Ouattara, First Lady of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire and Mr Aeneas Chuma, Assistant Director-General of the ILO and Regional Director for Africa.
Some 80 delegates from a dozen of African member States will attend the high-level meeting to discuss and agree on how best to join forces particularly in West and North Africa to end forced labour, modern slavery and human trafficking by 2030 and to end child labour in all its forms by 2025.
With an estimated 3.7 million African men, women and children still trapped in forced labour, and working under extreme coercion, largely in the informal economy, the African continent urgently needs practical and effective solutions to combat forced labour, including human trafficking and modern slavery.
And with 1 child out of 5 engaged in the worst forms of child labour, we urgently need a clear roadmap to tackle this problem at all levels up to the community and household levels.
Abidjan 2016 on SDG 8.7 will focus particularly on initiating a dialogue among tripartite constituents and other relevant stakeholders on the objectives and shape of Alliance 8.7 and provide suggestions for its effective implementation in West and North Africa.
The consultation will also identify and address key challenges and opportunities in achieving Target 8.7 in Western and Northern Africa and how an Alliance might assist in accelerating achievements.
Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Employment and Social Protection, Hon. Moussa Dosso will be taking part in this platform which will bring together representatives from Governments, employers and trade unions and other relevant stakeholders to discuss their respective role in the achievement of target 8.7 and their contribution to Alliance 8.7.
High-Profile participants include Senior Experts of the African Union Commission, the UN System (ILO, UNICEF, UNODC, DPKO, etc.), international and regional institutions (ECOWAS, AfDB, World Bank, IOM, INTERPOL, etc.) as well as the US Department of Labour (USDoL).
The Conference will also provide an opportunity to engage for the first time at the pan-African level in the official signature panel of the 50 for Freedom campaign to end modern slavery. Nearly 21 million people worldwide, across all continents, are victims of modern-day slavery. In Africa 3.7 million people are affected.
Follow us on Twitter and follow the live coverage using #ILOAfrica2015
Abidjan 2016 on SDG 8.7 will take place at the Heden Golf Hotel in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire and media registration is necessary to access the venue for coverage.
For more information or interview requests, please contact : ILO Regional Office for Africa, Guebray Berhane | +225 87905779 | [email protected]
