US Department of Labor awards $10 million to combat child labor in Ethiopia

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs has awarded a $10 million cooperative agreement to World Vision to combat exploitative child labor in Ethiopia that will focus on child labor in rural areas and the traditional weaving industry.

"The United States is working with the international community to end all exploitative child labor by 2016," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "Our grant will provide increased education and awareness, and critical assistance to families and governments to help bring us closer to our goal."

The project will take a comprehensive approach in addressing exploitative child labor, in cooperation with the Ethiopian government, at the local and national levels. Funds will be used to reintegrate children into formal or non-formal education systems and to transition children of legal working age to vocational education and apprenticeship training. Vulnerable families also will be linked to income-generating opportunities that reduce reliance on child labor. Through collaboration with the University of Gondar, the grantee will raise awareness and train labor inspectors on child labor laws as well as occupational safety and health standards.

Since 1995, Congress has appropriated approximately $780 million to the Labor Department to support global efforts to combat exploitative child labor. As a result, the department has rescued approximately 1.4 million children from exploitative child labor. More information on the department's efforts is available at http://www.dol.gov/ilab/.