Projects
Our international grants support projects to combat some of the most abusive labor practices, including the use of child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking in global supply chains. ILAB-funded projects also promote trade partners’ compliance with the labor requirements of U.S. trade agreements and preference programs – helping to ensure a fair global playing field for workers in the United States and around the world.
Building Governments’ Capacity
ILAB works with governments to make them more effective in combating labor abuses, through efforts in areas such as data collection, monitoring, and enforcement. As a direct result of ILAB initiatives:
- More than 80 countries have strengthened their monitoring and enforcement of laws, regulations, policies, and programs to combat child labor, forced labor and human trafficking;
- More than 60,000 labor inspectors and law enforcement officials have been trained to more effectively enforce child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking laws and regulations; and
- Governments have adopted best practices to assist victims of child labor and forced labor. For example, ILAB worked in partnership with the Government of Paraguay to develop and pilot an electronic system that registers adolescent workers to ensure they are protected under the law and assist with enforcement of labor laws.
Assistance for Vulnerable Children and Families
ILAB projects adopt a holistic approach to promote sustainable efforts that address child labor’s underlying causes, including poverty and lack of access to education. Project strategies include linking vulnerable groups to existing government social programs, providing children with quality education or afterschool services, helping families improve their livelihoods to meet basic needs without relying on child labor, and raising awareness about risks of trafficking so that adults don’t end up in situations of forced labor.
ILAB at the Forefront of Rigorous Evaluation Research
ILAB continues to invest in impact evaluations of innovative interventions to broaden the global knowledge base on effective strategies for combating child labor and forced labor. ILAB’s randomized controlled trials, the gold standard for impact evaluations, allow governments and policymakers to make evidence-informed decisions about programs that affect child laborers and their families.
Find out what ILAB projects are doing in response to COVID-19.
| Title | Amount | Grantee | Start Sort ascending | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Closing the Child Labor and Forced Labor Evidence Gap: Impact EvaluationsOur impact evaluation projects use rigorous quantitative techniques to evaluate the impact of interventions on reducing child labor, forced labor and human trafficking—part of a broader ILAB effort to build rigorous evidence on what works to secure and protect the rights of children and adults. Such evaluations support our partner governments’ evidence-based policymaking efforts, and also help identify proven strategies to inform ILAB’s future investments in global programs to combat child labor and forced labor. |
$1,304,957 | American University | 12/15/2014 | 08/31/2019 |
Engaged, Educated, Empowered, Ethiopian Youth Project (E4Y) |
$10,000,000 | World Vision | 12/15/2014 | 12/14/2018 |
Closing the Child Labor and Forced Labor Evidence Gap: Impact EvaluationsOur impact evaluation projects use rigorous quantitative techniques to evaluate the impact of interventions on reducing child labor, forced labor and human trafficking—part of a broader ILAB effort to build rigorous evidence on what works to secure and protect the rights of children and adults. Such evaluations support our partner governments’ evidence-based policymaking efforts, and also help identify proven strategies to inform ILAB’s future investments in global programs to combat child labor and forced labor. |
$999,993 | Vanderbilt University | 12/15/2014 | 12/14/2019 |
Strengthening Workers' Organizations in Georgia |
$937,000 | American Center for International Labor Solidarity (Solidarity Center) | 12/11/2014 | 12/31/2018 |
Futuros Brillantes: Project to Reduce Child Labor and Improve Labor Rights and Working Conditions in Honduras |
$11,609,235 | World Vision | 09/30/2014 | 06/30/2023 |
Impact Evaluations: Randomized Control Trial Impact Evaluations of National Social Protection Programs (Cash Transfer Programs) in Malawi and ZambiaOur impact evaluation projects use rigorous quantitative techniques to evaluate the impact of interventions on reducing child labor, forced labor and human trafficking—part of a broader ILAB effort to build rigorous evidence on what works to secure and protect the rights of children and adults. Such evaluations support our partner governments’ evidence-based policymaking efforts, and also help identify proven strategies to inform ILAB’s future investments in global programs to combat child labor and forced labor. |
$1,384,468 | United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) | 09/30/2014 | 06/14/2018 |
Country Level Engagement and Assistance to Reduce Child Labor II (CLEAR II) |
$7,595,000 | Winrock International | 09/30/2014 | 07/31/2019 |
Better Work BangladeshBetter Work is a comprehensive program that brings together all levels of the apparel industry to improve working conditions and respect of labor rights for workers, while boosting the competitiveness of apparel businesses. As a result of their participation with Better Work, export apparel factories in Bangladesh have improved compliance with labor laws, including on issues of compensation, contracts, occupational safety and health, and working time. By enhancing working conditions, Better Work Bangladesh increases the factories’ productivity and profitability. |
$10,000,000 | International Labor Organization (ILO) | 09/01/2014 | 12/31/2022 |
Better Work JordanBetter Work Jordan strives to accelerate improvements in the working conditions and business competitiveness of Jordan’s garment industry as well as the exporting industrial sector at large. The project strategy is two-tiered: the factory level and the institutional and policy level. |
$7,980,000 | International Labor Organization (ILO) | 09/01/2014 | 06/30/2022 |
Project Pathways: Reducing Child Labor Through Viable Paths in Education and Decent Work (Promise Pathways)To support efforts to reduce child labor and assist youth of legal working age to secure decent work and provide household members (age 18 and older) with opportunities for improved livelihoods in rural and peri-urban areas of Morocco. |
$4,998,430 | Creative Associates International | 12/31/2013 | 05/31/2017 |