SPVO – Child labour platform, India

This project aims to address child labour within supply chains using an area-based approach that is adapted to the unique challenges faced by migrant workers and their children across agricultural commodities. It will emphasise partnership between private sector and selected state governments as a key strategy to build longstanding impact.

A cross-sectoral approach to addressing child labour is critical, as evidence shows that workers in India are often moving across commodities, based on the season and opportunities. Efforts to tackle child labour in a specific businesses' supply chain (cotton, chilies, sugar, coffee), instead of an area-based approach, limits the capacity of both private sector and governments to sustain impact as the problem may be displaced to other supply chains. Moreover, scrutinised suppliers may not have sufficient incentives to continue progress if their competitors don't do the same. Governments' capacity to protect rights in a given area may be undermined by the opacity of parallel systems run by other actors. By adopting an area-based approach that brings various stakeholders, including downstream and upstream businesses, and commodities together, stakeholders can increase trust, partnership and leverage to address the root causes of child labour together.

The International Labour Organization (ILO)'s previous engagement in the cotton sector in Telangana demonstrated that cooperation between the private sector and state government is a successful approach to addressing the root causes of child labour. Through the ILO's Promoting Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (FPRW) in the Cotton Supply Chain 5 project, for example, over 22 farmer producer organisations amended their by-laws to integrate FPRW as one of their mandates and over 2,000 workers were registered in State level social protection schemes. Moreover, over 19,000 people participated in awareness generation activities, mobilisation meetings, and capacity building workshops on FRPW in the cotton sector at the state, district and village levels. These programmes were organised in collaboration with stakeholders from farmer producer organisations, cooperatives, trade unions, and various government offices. Additionally, the project held dialogues across multiple government agencies including the labour and agricultural departments.

The proposed project will build upon the results of this work by expanding the ILO's previous efforts in Telanganato additional sectors and replicating this approach in Karnataka. Activities will include increasing awareness of FPRW and due diligence obligations and improving awareness and affiliation of migrant workers into social projection schemes. Additionally, the proposed project will adapt to include an emphasis on strengthening recruitment and employment practices of labour contractors.