ILO ACCEL Africa supports Better Work on mainstreaming child labour in Egypt
The collaboration between the two projects resulted in the establishment by the MOM of a new Trade Union Grievance Committee to facilitate trade unions’ registration process. A ministerial decree is issued by MOM to institutionalize the Committee.
The International Labour Organisation Accelerating Action for the Elimination of Child Labour in Supply Chains in Africa (ACCEL Africa) and Better Work Programme in Egypt collaborate on mainstreaming child labour in support to the action by the Egypt’s Minister of Manpower (MOM) on ensuring the establishment of sound labour relations across the manufacturing sector and better compliance with the FPRW in the Ready Made Garment (RGM) factories.
Better Work Programme was officially launched a week before the government imposed a countrywide lockdown in mid-March amid increasing coronavirus infections, Better Work is one of the three pillars of the ILO’s project “Strengthening Labour Relations and its Institutions in Egypt” (SLARIE).
The ACCEL AFRICA, an ILO Netherlands Government funded project, initially targeted 20 private sector factories in cotton supply chain for advisory sessions that are meant to support the factories’ contributions to better working conditions through the promotion of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (FPRW) and prevention from the child labour risk for apprentices.
To do this, the project had supported the recruitment of Enterprise Advisors (EA) and funded data and facts gathering on targeted factories, with initial advisory visits, highlighting compliance points and running an assessment.
Based on the assessment reports, the project plans to work on the improvement of working conditions and manage existing working children and apprentices cases in preventing them from hazardous work or support their withdrawal from child labour if in under legal working age situation.
So far, the project, in collaboration with Better Work, has reached 38 RGM factories, which constitutes the double of the previously planned 20 factories, and conducted orientation workshops while promoting the freedom of association, eliminating child labour, forced labour and non-discrimination as core compliance with the ILO international labour standards along with national labour regulations.
All 38 factories were officially registered with Better Work Egypt and the first round of advisory visits was completed and focused on COVID-19 response and awareness.
The second advisory visit was started and focused on the compliance and preparation of unannounced assessment visits that took place in August.
22 assessment visits were conducted by Better Work consultants to the registered enterprises over the course of October to November. Based on assessment reports, remediation interventions will be developed to address child labour findings among other FPRW findings.
The collaboration between the two projects resulted in the establishment by the MOM of a new Trade Union Grievance Committee to facilitate trade unions’ registration process. A ministerial decree is issued by MOM to institutionalize the Committee.
26 pending Trade Union Committees were received and met by the above committee to discuss their cases resulting in the registration of 11 out of the 26 pending committees during the period from October to November 2020.
Officially launched a week before the government imposed a countrywide lockdown in mid-March amid increasing coronavirus infections, Better Work is one of the three pillars of the ILO’s project “Strengthening Labour Relations and its Institutions in Egypt” (SLARIE).
“The cooperation with the ILO project has proved very fruitful throughout the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, joining hands for the creation of COVID-19 awareness posters to shed light on symptoms and prevention measures at the workplace,” H.E. Minister of Manpower Mohamed Saafan.
Better Work Programme was officially launched a week before the government imposed a countrywide lockdown in mid-March amid increasing coronavirus infections, Better Work is one of the three pillars of the ILO’s project “Strengthening Labour Relations and its Institutions in Egypt” (SLARIE).
The ACCEL AFRICA, an ILO Netherlands Government funded project, initially targeted 20 private sector factories in cotton supply chain for advisory sessions that are meant to support the factories’ contributions to better working conditions through the promotion of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (FPRW) and prevention from the child labour risk for apprentices.
To do this, the project had supported the recruitment of Enterprise Advisors (EA) and funded data and facts gathering on targeted factories, with initial advisory visits, highlighting compliance points and running an assessment.
Based on the assessment reports, the project plans to work on the improvement of working conditions and manage existing working children and apprentices cases in preventing them from hazardous work or support their withdrawal from child labour if in under legal working age situation.
So far, the project, in collaboration with Better Work, has reached 38 RGM factories, which constitutes the double of the previously planned 20 factories, and conducted orientation workshops while promoting the freedom of association, eliminating child labour, forced labour and non-discrimination as core compliance with the ILO international labour standards along with national labour regulations.
All 38 factories were officially registered with Better Work Egypt and the first round of advisory visits was completed and focused on COVID-19 response and awareness.
The second advisory visit was started and focused on the compliance and preparation of unannounced assessment visits that took place in August.
22 assessment visits were conducted by Better Work consultants to the registered enterprises over the course of October to November. Based on assessment reports, remediation interventions will be developed to address child labour findings among other FPRW findings.
The collaboration between the two projects resulted in the establishment by the MOM of a new Trade Union Grievance Committee to facilitate trade unions’ registration process. A ministerial decree is issued by MOM to institutionalize the Committee.
26 pending Trade Union Committees were received and met by the above committee to discuss their cases resulting in the registration of 11 out of the 26 pending committees during the period from October to November 2020.
Officially launched a week before the government imposed a countrywide lockdown in mid-March amid increasing coronavirus infections, Better Work is one of the three pillars of the ILO’s project “Strengthening Labour Relations and its Institutions in Egypt” (SLARIE).
“The cooperation with the ILO project has proved very fruitful throughout the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, joining hands for the creation of COVID-19 awareness posters to shed light on symptoms and prevention measures at the workplace,” H.E. Minister of Manpower Mohamed Saafan.