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.
Results
Research, Innovation, and Strategic Engagement (RISE)11/01/2023 - 05/01/2028 The RISE project works with governments, workers, and employers to respect, promote, and realize workers’ freedom of association and collective bargaining rights globally. |
International Labor Organization (ILO) |
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Observation and Engagement for Rights Verification and Realization Initiative (OBSERVAR)08/23/2023 - 08/22/2026 The OBSERVAR project will support workplace democratic processes in Mexico through the impartial observation of workplace votes and the capacity building of key stakeholders on the issues of freedom of association and collective bargaining. |
International Labor Organization (ILO) |
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Research Project on Efforts to Eliminate Child Labor and Forced Labor in the Cocoa Sector12/23/2022 - 03/26/2024 The goal of this project was to research, identify, and develop indicators of progress being made in high-risk countries to eliminate child labor and forced labor in the cocoa sector; to research best practices utilized by the governments and the cocoa and chocolate industry, and to research the participation of worker organizations in addressing child labor and forced labor in the cocoa sector. |
American Institutes for Research |
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Project to Increase Worker Voice and Address Forced Labor, Child Labor, and Other Labor Violations in Cattle Raising Areas of Brazil and Paraguay12/15/2022 - 12/14/2026 The Project to Increase Worker Voice and Address Forced Labor, Child Labor, and Other Labor Violations in Cattle Raising Areas of Brazil and Paraguay will help to increase collective action by workers organizations (WOs) and civil society organizations (CSOs) to address forced labor, child labor, and other labor violations in cattle raising areas of Brazil and Paraguay, specifically in the Brazilian State of Mato Grosso do Sul and in the Paraguayan Department of Boquerón in the Chaco region. |
International Labor Organization (ILO) |
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Improving Respect for Workers’ Rights in Bangladesh10/01/2022 - 09/30/2026 This project aims to improve labor conditions in the construction, garment, shrimp farming, and tea sectors, with a focus on gender-based violence and harassment, occupational safety and health, and climate change and environmental degradation. |
Solidarity Center |
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Building an Independent & Democratic Labor Movement to Protect Worker Rights in Mexico07/19/2022 - 07/18/2026 This project will strengthen the capacity of unions to organize by legitimizing collective bargaining agreements, supporting internal leadership elections, building partnerships, and providing independent unions with legal support and training for lawyers. The project will operate in the Mexican states of Guanajuato, San Luis Potosi, Queretaro, Estado de Mexico and Mexico City, as well as Mexico’s northern states by promoting authentic collective bargaining in the automotive, auto parts, aerospace, call centers, electronics, garment, industrial bakeries, logistics and mining sectors. |
Solidarity Center |
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Acción Colectiva Laboral12/31/2021 - 03/06/2026 The project will work with civil society and workers' organizations in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras to strengthen their capacity and bolster their collaboration with government agencies, the private sector and other stakeholders to protect labor rights and reduce child labor and forced labor. The project will focus on organizations that represent indigenous, Afro-descendant, and Garifuna populations, while promoting gender and racial equity. |
Pan American Development Foundation |
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ALFA: Addressing Labor Exploitation in Fishing in ASEAN12/15/2021 - 06/14/2026 The ALFA project will strengthen the capacity of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) sectoral bodies and member countries to coordinate and collaborate to address forced labor and abusive working conditions in the region’s fishing industry. ALFA will focus on ASEAN regional policy implementation, and increased engagement with the private sector, worker organizations, and civil society to mitigate forced labor and trafficking, and improve working conditions for a more sustainable, responsible and resilient fishing sector. |
Development Alternatives Incorporated (DAI) |
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Improving Respect for Workers’ Rights in Agricultural Supply Chains in Honduras and Guatemala, and the Maquila Sector in El Salvador12/15/2021 - 08/14/2026 Photo by Luis Fuentes Part of the Root Causes of Migration Strategy for northern Central America, this project seeks to improve workers’ rights in Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador by supporting workers’ organizations in the banana, melon, palm oil, and pineapple sectors in Honduras; the banana and palm oil sectors in Guatemala; and in the garments (maquila) sector in El Salvador. |
Solidarity Center |
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Support the Promotion of Labor Standards in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)12/15/2021 - 04/14/2025 This project seeks to promote greater compliance with labor law and standards for acceptable conditions of work, including occupational safety and health, hours of work, and wages in the DRC’s mining, distribution, and construction/public works sectors. |
International Labor Organization (ILO) |
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Research, Innovation, and Strategic Engagement (RISE)11/01/2023 - 05/01/2028 The RISE project works with governments, workers, and employers to respect, promote, and realize workers’ freedom of association and collective bargaining rights globally. |
International Labor Organization (ILO) |
|
Observation and Engagement for Rights Verification and Realization Initiative (OBSERVAR)08/23/2023 - 08/22/2026 The OBSERVAR project will support workplace democratic processes in Mexico through the impartial observation of workplace votes and the capacity building of key stakeholders on the issues of freedom of association and collective bargaining. |
International Labor Organization (ILO) |
|
Research Project on Efforts to Eliminate Child Labor and Forced Labor in the Cocoa Sector12/23/2022 - 03/26/2024 The goal of this project was to research, identify, and develop indicators of progress being made in high-risk countries to eliminate child labor and forced labor in the cocoa sector; to research best practices utilized by the governments and the cocoa and chocolate industry, and to research the participation of worker organizations in addressing child labor and forced labor in the cocoa sector. |
American Institutes for Research |
|
Project to Increase Worker Voice and Address Forced Labor, Child Labor, and Other Labor Violations in Cattle Raising Areas of Brazil and Paraguay12/15/2022 - 12/14/2026 The Project to Increase Worker Voice and Address Forced Labor, Child Labor, and Other Labor Violations in Cattle Raising Areas of Brazil and Paraguay will help to increase collective action by workers organizations (WOs) and civil society organizations (CSOs) to address forced labor, child labor, and other labor violations in cattle raising areas of Brazil and Paraguay, specifically in the Brazilian State of Mato Grosso do Sul and in the Paraguayan Department of Boquerón in the Chaco region. |
International Labor Organization (ILO) |
|
Improving Respect for Workers’ Rights in Bangladesh10/01/2022 - 09/30/2026 This project aims to improve labor conditions in the construction, garment, shrimp farming, and tea sectors, with a focus on gender-based violence and harassment, occupational safety and health, and climate change and environmental degradation. |
Solidarity Center |
|
Building an Independent & Democratic Labor Movement to Protect Worker Rights in Mexico07/19/2022 - 07/18/2026 This project will strengthen the capacity of unions to organize by legitimizing collective bargaining agreements, supporting internal leadership elections, building partnerships, and providing independent unions with legal support and training for lawyers. The project will operate in the Mexican states of Guanajuato, San Luis Potosi, Queretaro, Estado de Mexico and Mexico City, as well as Mexico’s northern states by promoting authentic collective bargaining in the automotive, auto parts, aerospace, call centers, electronics, garment, industrial bakeries, logistics and mining sectors. |
Solidarity Center |
|
Acción Colectiva Laboral12/31/2021 - 03/06/2026 The project will work with civil society and workers' organizations in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras to strengthen their capacity and bolster their collaboration with government agencies, the private sector and other stakeholders to protect labor rights and reduce child labor and forced labor. The project will focus on organizations that represent indigenous, Afro-descendant, and Garifuna populations, while promoting gender and racial equity. |
Pan American Development Foundation |
|
ALFA: Addressing Labor Exploitation in Fishing in ASEAN12/15/2021 - 06/14/2026 The ALFA project will strengthen the capacity of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) sectoral bodies and member countries to coordinate and collaborate to address forced labor and abusive working conditions in the region’s fishing industry. ALFA will focus on ASEAN regional policy implementation, and increased engagement with the private sector, worker organizations, and civil society to mitigate forced labor and trafficking, and improve working conditions for a more sustainable, responsible and resilient fishing sector. |
Development Alternatives Incorporated (DAI) |
|
Improving Respect for Workers’ Rights in Agricultural Supply Chains in Honduras and Guatemala, and the Maquila Sector in El Salvador12/15/2021 - 08/14/2026 Photo by Luis Fuentes Part of the Root Causes of Migration Strategy for northern Central America, this project seeks to improve workers’ rights in Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador by supporting workers’ organizations in the banana, melon, palm oil, and pineapple sectors in Honduras; the banana and palm oil sectors in Guatemala; and in the garments (maquila) sector in El Salvador. |
Solidarity Center |
|
Support the Promotion of Labor Standards in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)12/15/2021 - 04/14/2025 This project seeks to promote greater compliance with labor law and standards for acceptable conditions of work, including occupational safety and health, hours of work, and wages in the DRC’s mining, distribution, and construction/public works sectors. |
International Labor Organization (ILO) |
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