Chile assumes presidency of the Global Alliance 8.7 against child labor, forced labor, human trafficking and modern slavery

Last Wednesday, November 1st, Chile formally assumed the presidency of the Global Alliance against Child Labor, Forced Labor, Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery, known as Alliance 8.7 for its reference to target 8.7 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations (UN).

This, after the handover ceremony of the presidency of the Alliance by France, represented by Anousheh Karvar, to the Permanent Representative of Chile to the United Nations and other International Organizations in Geneva, Ambassador Claudia Fuentes Julio, in a ceremony held at the headquarters of the International Labor Organization (ILO) in Geneva, Switzerland.

Alliance 8.7 is a platform for the generation and exchange of information, practices and lessons learned, collaboration, innovation and progress in the areas it addresses. Partners include governments, international and regional organizations, workers' organizations, employers, business networks, civil society organizations and academic institutions, among other stakeholders.

The handover ceremony was also attended by ILO Director General Gilbert F. Houngbo, the Secretary General of the International Organization of Employers (IOE), Roberto Suárez, IOE Director of Communications Jean Milligan, and the President of the International Trade Union Confederation, Akiko Gono.

Leading Against Child Labor

Chile's presidency of the 8.7 Alliance, announced in July 2023, is a recognition of the country's work as a pioneer of this initiative. In 2018, the ILO invited Chile to join this platform for its outstanding national policy against child labor, forced labor and human trafficking, in line with the sustained commitment of the State of Chile to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and, in particular, Target 8.7.

Thus, since 2014 Chile has been an active member of the Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Initiative Free of Child Labor; in 2015 it developed its National Strategy for the Eradication of Child Labor and Protection of Adolescent Workers 2015-2025 and, to date, it is updating its National Action Plan against Trafficking in Persons.

Within this context, the Government of Chile, through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, will coordinate the contents and scope for adequate national participation.

Chile assumes the leadership of Alliance 8.7 after having held the presidency of the ILO Governing Body, the most relevant governance body of the multilateral organization, for the period from June 2022 to June 2023.  This milestone consolidates regional leadership in this area, in line with Chile's labor agenda and foreign policy, ratifying the commitment of the State of Chile to democracy, multilateralism and human rights with a gender perspective.

More information at https://www.alliance87.org/