Building a powerful alliance to end human exploitation
ILO and Ford Foundation co-hosted the launch event of Alliance 8.7, a multi-stakeholder initiative on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Target 8.7
29 September 2016
A major UN initiative to end human exploitation, Alliance 8.7, was launched by the ILO and eleven founding members from the UN family, at the Ford Foundation, ushering in an era of unprecedented collaboration and joint global action to tackle some of the worst examples of human rights violations specifically in the world of work.
Alliance 8.7, launched officially on 21st September at Ford Foundation, is a global multi-stakeholder initiative designed to bring into a common place all stakeholders working towards the elimination of forced labour, modern slavery, human trafficking and child labour. Despite the plethora of existing initiatives, programmes and practices tackling these issues, better coordination and collaboration as well as new and innovative ways of harnessing scattered resources are needed. Alliance 8.7 aims to promote efficiency and reduce duplication of efforts by connecting participating members to each other and facilitating peer-learning via knowledge platform.
The ILO estimates that globally there are 21 million men, women and children suffering as victims of forced labour and human trafficking for labour exploitation. Children are particularly vulnerable to abuses. It is estimated that there are 168 million girls and boys working in situations of child labour in various sectors. Among them are 85 million children between the ages of 5-17 years old doing hazardous work/the worst forms of child labour.According to the ILO’s 2014 report, Profits and Poverty: The economics of forced labour, the total illicit profits generated by the use of forced labour amount to $150 billion per year making it one of the most profitable businesses in the world.
The launch of Alliance 8.7 comes in the context of the UN’s adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its enhanced call to action for eradication of forced labour, child labour, modern slavery and human trafficking. The inter-connectedness and mutually reinforcing nature of the seventeen goals of the 2030 Agenda imply that ending these exploitation calls for action by many on varied fronts.
“Providing sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth with full and productive employment and decent work for all will directly address the root causes of forced labour, modern slavery, human trafficking and child labour,” United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in his message sent to the event, emphasizing the inclusiveness, interlinked and universal nature of the SDGs.
Susana Malcorra, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Argentina, also draw attention to this link between poverty alleviation, decent jobs and eradicating forced labour, child labour, modern slavery and human trafficking. “The whole of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs we’ve all agreed to is absolutely related to the agenda we are discussing today, “ she said. “When you are under a high level of poverty, exploitation comes as a natural thing. We have frameworks which we need to make sure they are enforced, but at the same time, we need to give genuine, good job opportunities to people so they are not enslaved or forced to work in indecent and impossible conditions.”
Attending the event were Heads of State/Government and Ministers, joined by Heads of UN agencies, workers’ and employers’ organizations, a major industry coalition and a leading Nobel-prize winning academic and other experts.
Many panelists have acknowledged the need for strengthened partnership that can better coordinate the existing efforts, promote learning and sharing of good practices, and ensure effective monitoring and evaluation. Because of the complex and varied causes of forced labour, child labour, and trafficking, multi-dimensional and sustainable approaches are required. Panelist expressed their anticipation for Alliance 8.7 on building a successful partnership.
“The success of the Alliance would mean eliminating vulnerability completely. However, we need to identify feasible steps and programmes that can show results,” Alexander De Croo, Deputy Prime Minister of Belgium said as he expressed his expectation for the Alliance. “At the international level, mobilizing funding, especially private funding, is important. Thinking that public money would be enough is an illusion. We need to engage private funding. Governments cannot do this alone,” he said.
“The Alliance can promote transformative actions which none of us can do alone,” Maria Grazia Giammarinaro, the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children, said. “All Member States and social actors should ask themselves whether there is consistency and coherence on their efforts on forced labour and trafficking, including migration policies. Alliance 8.7 has enormous potential in achieving this consistency and coherence.”
Sharan Burrow, General Secretary of International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and Linda Kromjong, Secretary-General of International Organization of Employers (IOE) both stressed the importance of rule of law and political will in making Alliance 8.7 a successful partnership. Both particularly urged governments to sign and ratify the Forced Labour Protocol. Kromjong said that “businesses ought to take its responsibility but it needs to operate within the framework accepted by the government.” Burrow, representing workers’ perspective said with better rule of law in place “government naturally become partners in social dialogue” and “trade unions can organize more workers without having to do it underground.”
Before the official launch of Alliance 8.7, a couple of partners shared their words of support and commitment. Carol Pier, Deputy Undersecretary of Bureau of International Labor Affairs, U.S. Department of Labor, announced their commitment to the Alliance and funding of $9 million to the ILO to support a project titled Measurement, Awareness-raising and Policy engagement (MAP) for the achievement of Target 8.7. Germany also expressed their commitment to the Alliance as a founding member and expressed their anticipation in working with the Alliance and its partners.
Guy Ryder, the Director-General of the ILO, officially launched Alliance 8.7 at the end of the event. “Forced labour, slavery, trafficking and child labour is not just residual of the past century and history. It is unfortunately a phenomenon and abomination which has demonstrated it capacity to mutate, to regenerate and to adapt to new circumstances. That is why we also have to adapt and act in accordance to that,” he said.
Following the official launch, Alliance 8.7 is planning to continue to hold regional consultations with various regional and national stakeholders and launch the Knowledge Sharing, Communication and Dialogue Platform.
Alliance 8.7, launched officially on 21st September at Ford Foundation, is a global multi-stakeholder initiative designed to bring into a common place all stakeholders working towards the elimination of forced labour, modern slavery, human trafficking and child labour. Despite the plethora of existing initiatives, programmes and practices tackling these issues, better coordination and collaboration as well as new and innovative ways of harnessing scattered resources are needed. Alliance 8.7 aims to promote efficiency and reduce duplication of efforts by connecting participating members to each other and facilitating peer-learning via knowledge platform.
The ILO estimates that globally there are 21 million men, women and children suffering as victims of forced labour and human trafficking for labour exploitation. Children are particularly vulnerable to abuses. It is estimated that there are 168 million girls and boys working in situations of child labour in various sectors. Among them are 85 million children between the ages of 5-17 years old doing hazardous work/the worst forms of child labour.According to the ILO’s 2014 report, Profits and Poverty: The economics of forced labour, the total illicit profits generated by the use of forced labour amount to $150 billion per year making it one of the most profitable businesses in the world.
The launch of Alliance 8.7 comes in the context of the UN’s adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its enhanced call to action for eradication of forced labour, child labour, modern slavery and human trafficking. The inter-connectedness and mutually reinforcing nature of the seventeen goals of the 2030 Agenda imply that ending these exploitation calls for action by many on varied fronts.
“Providing sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth with full and productive employment and decent work for all will directly address the root causes of forced labour, modern slavery, human trafficking and child labour,” United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in his message sent to the event, emphasizing the inclusiveness, interlinked and universal nature of the SDGs.
Susana Malcorra, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Argentina, also draw attention to this link between poverty alleviation, decent jobs and eradicating forced labour, child labour, modern slavery and human trafficking. “The whole of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs we’ve all agreed to is absolutely related to the agenda we are discussing today, “ she said. “When you are under a high level of poverty, exploitation comes as a natural thing. We have frameworks which we need to make sure they are enforced, but at the same time, we need to give genuine, good job opportunities to people so they are not enslaved or forced to work in indecent and impossible conditions.”
Attending the event were Heads of State/Government and Ministers, joined by Heads of UN agencies, workers’ and employers’ organizations, a major industry coalition and a leading Nobel-prize winning academic and other experts.
Many panelists have acknowledged the need for strengthened partnership that can better coordinate the existing efforts, promote learning and sharing of good practices, and ensure effective monitoring and evaluation. Because of the complex and varied causes of forced labour, child labour, and trafficking, multi-dimensional and sustainable approaches are required. Panelist expressed their anticipation for Alliance 8.7 on building a successful partnership.
“The success of the Alliance would mean eliminating vulnerability completely. However, we need to identify feasible steps and programmes that can show results,” Alexander De Croo, Deputy Prime Minister of Belgium said as he expressed his expectation for the Alliance. “At the international level, mobilizing funding, especially private funding, is important. Thinking that public money would be enough is an illusion. We need to engage private funding. Governments cannot do this alone,” he said.
“The Alliance can promote transformative actions which none of us can do alone,” Maria Grazia Giammarinaro, the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children, said. “All Member States and social actors should ask themselves whether there is consistency and coherence on their efforts on forced labour and trafficking, including migration policies. Alliance 8.7 has enormous potential in achieving this consistency and coherence.”
Sharan Burrow, General Secretary of International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and Linda Kromjong, Secretary-General of International Organization of Employers (IOE) both stressed the importance of rule of law and political will in making Alliance 8.7 a successful partnership. Both particularly urged governments to sign and ratify the Forced Labour Protocol. Kromjong said that “businesses ought to take its responsibility but it needs to operate within the framework accepted by the government.” Burrow, representing workers’ perspective said with better rule of law in place “government naturally become partners in social dialogue” and “trade unions can organize more workers without having to do it underground.”
Before the official launch of Alliance 8.7, a couple of partners shared their words of support and commitment. Carol Pier, Deputy Undersecretary of Bureau of International Labor Affairs, U.S. Department of Labor, announced their commitment to the Alliance and funding of $9 million to the ILO to support a project titled Measurement, Awareness-raising and Policy engagement (MAP) for the achievement of Target 8.7. Germany also expressed their commitment to the Alliance as a founding member and expressed their anticipation in working with the Alliance and its partners.
Guy Ryder, the Director-General of the ILO, officially launched Alliance 8.7 at the end of the event. “Forced labour, slavery, trafficking and child labour is not just residual of the past century and history. It is unfortunately a phenomenon and abomination which has demonstrated it capacity to mutate, to regenerate and to adapt to new circumstances. That is why we also have to adapt and act in accordance to that,” he said.
Following the official launch, Alliance 8.7 is planning to continue to hold regional consultations with various regional and national stakeholders and launch the Knowledge Sharing, Communication and Dialogue Platform.