ACCEL Knowledge Management

  1. Interview Series: Uniting for a Common Goal -Fighting Child Labour Across Africa

    Behind the scenes of the ACCEL Africa regional knowledge sharing workshop we have produced this exclusive interview series, where we had the privilege of sitting down with some of our project partners to discuss their contributions to the fight against child labour across Africa.

  2. Good Practices: Knowledge Sharing for Partnerships on the Elimination of Child Labour in Supply Chains

    Presents 14 ACCEL Africa good practices in the fight against child labour.

  3. Knowledge-sharing as a pathway for strengthened intra-African collaboration and accelerate action for the elimination of child labour in supply chains.

    The “Regional Conference: Knowledge Sharing for Partnerships on the Elimination of Child Labour in Supply Chains” focused on showcasing what has worked to advance the countries and regional agendas on the elimination of child labour.

  4. Egypt

    Knowledge-needs assessment reveals urgent action is needed to continue to combat child labour in Egypt and highlighted partnership opportunities within accel Africa

  5. Cote d'Ivoire

    ACCEL Africa partners unite to share vital knowledge on combating child labour in Cocoa and Gold Mining value chains in Cote d’Ivoire

  6. Malawi

    ACCEL Project Partners Unite to Combat Child Labor in Malawi: Sharing Knowledge and Results for a Better Future

  7. Mali

    ACCEL Mali organizes national knowledge sharing days on the elimination of child labour

Contact us

Accel Africa Regional Office

2nd floor of the Equinoxe building, corner of the technical high school road and rue de la Canebière in COCODY
Abidjan
Cote d'Ivoire


Tel : +22520318996
Email : ogasawara@ilo.org
Website : www.ilo.org/accel-africa

Accelerating action for the elimination of child labour in supply chains in Africa (ACCEL AFRICA)

  • Accelerating action for theelimination of child labour in supplychains in Africa (ACCEL AFRICA) - 2nd Phase in brief

    The ACCEL Africa Project is entering its second phase with a strong commitment to eradicating child labour in supply chains across Africa. It is continuing to target the root causes of child labour in specific countries and supply chains, particularly in agriculture, mining, and the rural economy.

    Building on the success of the 1st Phase, the 2nd Phase will expand its efforts across multiple countries and sectors, fostering an integrated approach to eliminate child labour at sub-national, national, and global levels.

    The focus countries for intervention are Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, and Uganda, working in the cocoa, coffee, cotton, gold, and tea supply chains.

  • Communication Strategies on Child Labour: From awareness raising to action

    Although child labour globally has reduced in the last twenty years, in the African continent the opposite can be seen. The vast majority of children in child labour in Africa can be found in agriculture. In order to reach the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) further action to reduce child labour in Africa is therefore necessary.

    One of the ways to stimulate action to reduce child labour is an awareness to action campaign. This study presents examples of campaigns focusing on Africa, but also on consumers and companies in Europe that buy products possibly made by children in Africa. In order to develop campaigns, the study looked at critical success factors from other behavioural awareness campaigns, and into the literature on child labour and how child labour is perceived on the African continent as well as in Europe. Those insights are critical, as perception, attitude and behaviour are linked. Check out the study here!

  • Free self-guided on-line course

    Reporting on child labour for media

    The ITC-ILO in collaboration with the ACCEL Project in Africa is offering this self-guided online training to improve the communicating on child labour. This free self-guided course considers the practicalities of preparing and producing a news article on child labour in a compelling and ethical manner.

    Journalists and communication professionals can play an important role in drawing the attention of the public and other actors on child labour and the global goal of bringing this human rights abuse to an end by the globally agreed target of 2025.

    To learn more or to join this course visit: Self-guided course on reporting on child labour for Media

  • News

    International Labour Organization (ILO) and Malawi Congress of Trade Unions partner for trade union action to accelerate the elimination of child labour

    “As MCTU, we look forward to leveraging this partnership to further enhance our ongoing efforts to build the capacity of our affiliated trade unions, especially those representing workers in the formal and informal sectors, as well as smallholder trusts, associations, and cooperatives, in the targeted tea and coffee-growing communities to identify and address child labour and its root causes,” MCTU Secretary General Mr. Madalitso Njolomole.

    Valued at almost MWK 170 million (equivalent to more than USD $200,000), the partnership has been established under the ILO’s ‘Accelerating action for the elimination of child labour in supply chains in Africa’ (ACCEL Africa) project which is funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The Netherlands.

  • The ILO brings together experts in Europe to discuss the development of its campaign on child labour in global supply chains.

    The workshop also brought together potential implementing agencies to implement the campaign in Europe, selected based on their expression of interest and proposed supply chains to be covered and types of interventions to be conducted, to discuss the details of the campaign.

    In the next phases, technical and financial proposals should be received by the ILO Accel Africa project by the end of October.

  • Focus on WIND: an ILO integrated approach to eliminate child labour in cocoa farming

    The analysis of the root causes of child labour revealed, says the ACCEL Africa coordinator, "that the absence of Occupational Health and Safety is a vector of child labour. In the absence of occupational health and safety measures, children of working age can find themselves performing dangerous work, prohibited by Ivorian legislation. Also, the lack of occupational health and safety measures exposes parents to work-related accidents who, in the event of disability, use their children as a substitute workforce.

    In order to find solutions to these problems, the ACCEL Africa project organised a training course for 15 WIND Cacao trainers in April 2021. These trainers were mainly from the labour administration and the agricultural administration.

  • International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Teachers Union of Malawi (TUM) partner to eliminate child labour through school improvements and access to education

    “This partnership comes at a critical time, as COVID-19 has contributed to rising rates of school dropouts, including because of the socio-economic impacts of the pandemic, as well as periodic school closures. Some of the children who have dropped out of school as a result have become involved in child labour.

    As TUM, this is something that gravely concerns us. Indeed, the TUM Statement of Professional Ethics and Code of Conduct for Teachers identifies child labour as a crosscutting issue that our organization needs to play a role in addressing”, said Mr. Charles Kumchenga, the Secretary-General of TUM.

  • ILO promotes the extension of Universal Health Coverage to rural households in cocoa-producing areas

    The ACCEL Africa project collaborates with the Institution de Prévoyance Sociale, known as the Caisse Nationale d'Assurance Maladie (IPS-CNAM), which is responsible for managing CMU schemes.

    The IPS-CNAM was created by decree n° 2014-395 of 25 June 2014. It is under the supervision of the Ministry of Employment and Social Protection.

    The objective of the collaboration with CNAM is to improve the implementation of the Universal Health Coverage (CMU) in the target areas (SOUBRE AND M'BATTO), with a view to using it as a tool to reduce social vulnerability to child labour.

  • World Day against Child Labour

    AU, ILO and UNICEF mark the World Day against Child Labour in Africa

    The African Union, International Labour Organization and UNICEF hosted a virtual continental event to mark the World Day against Child Labour in Africa, bringing together key actors who discussed strategies to address child labour, taking a holistic and systemic approach. The June 18 event followed the release of the 2020 Global Child Labour Estimates report and related analysis and policy recommendations and capped a week of action to eliminate child labour.

  • #EndChildLabour2021

    Supporting Children's Rights through Education, Art and Media (SCREAM) in Egypt.

    The video includes interviews with a number of boys and girls describing their experience as being exposed to child labour. In addition, it includes interviews with the staff of Child Labour Center staff on their role and reflection on the programme. SCREAM included puppet theater, interactive theater and art exhibition of children on child labour.

  • Child labour rises to 160 million – first increase in two decades

    The International Labour Organization and UNICEF warn nine million additional children at risk as a result of COVID-19 pandemic.The number of children in child labour has risen to 160 million worldwide – an increase of 8.4 million children in the last four years – with millions more at risk due to the impacts of COVID-19, according to a new report by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and UNICEF.

  • Child Labour

    ILO and UNICEF to release latest estimates of child labour

    The International Labour Organization (ILO) and UNICEF are to publish new global estimates of the number of children in child labour. Their joint report, Child Labour: 2020 Global estimates, trends and the road forward, will be launched on 10 June, 2021 ahead of the World Day Against Child Labour on 12 June. ILO Director-General, Guy Ryder, and UNICEF Executive Director, Henrietta Fore, will present the findings at an embargoed virtual press briefing for UNOG-accredited correspondents on Wednesday 9 June from 17:30 to 18:30 Geneva time (15:30 to 16:30 GMT).

  • Act now: end child labour!

    For this year’s World Day, we will promote a “Week of Action” around 12 June, starting with the launch of the new global estimates on child labour. The events and activities carried out during this week will be an opportunity for partners to showcase progress in carrying out their “2021 Action Pledges.” All pledges made by regional, national and organizational stakeholders and individuals will be featured on the website for the 2021 International Year  in April. This year, the World Day Against Child Labour will be marked by a high-level virtual side event, organized jointly with UNICEF, during the International Labour Conference (ILC). The first part of the event will focus on a conversation on the newly released ILO-UNICEF global estimates and trends on child labour.

  • UN Year: End Child Labour 2021

    Lokua Kanza: We can all act to ensure a better future for our children

    Congolese singer and songwriter, Lokua Kanza, will be one of the judges of the Music Against Child Labour Initiative’s global music competition, launched by the youth music organization Jeunesses Musicales International (JMI) in collaboration with the ILO. He says it’s time to act to ensure a better future for children, and called on musicians to raise awareness of child labour by taking part in the competition, which closes on 12 April.

  • News

    ILO and AU launch International Year for the Elimination of Child Labour paving the way for greater collaboration among stakeholders in Africa

    Panellists recognised the complexity and magnitude of the problem in Africa and discussed the different types of solutions, existing or envisaged, ranging from access to quality education for all, access to social protection, access to decent work for adults, extending the coverage of basic services and awareness raising.

  • News

    Regional launch of the International Year for the Elimination of Child Labour in Africa

    On Wednesday, March 31, from 12:00 pm to 14:30 pm (GMT), the ILO, the African Union and other stakeholders will proceed with the launch the International Year for the Elimination of Child Labour in Africa and mobilisation of stakeholders to accelerate the implementation of the African Union Ten Year Action Plan on Eradication of Child Labour, Forced Labour, Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery in Africa (2020-2030)

  • News

    Music competition launched to raise awareness of child labour

    The Music Against Child Labour Initiative, which brings together musicians to raise awareness of child labour, is launching a song competition on 3 February 2021 to mark the UN International Year for the Elimination of Child Labour. Musicians of all genres are invited to submit a song to inspire governments and stakeholders to take action to eliminate child labour, which affects nearly 1 in 10 children worldwide.

  • News

    The International Year for the Elimination of Child Labour marks a call to move beyond commitments to action.

    I believe that the impact of the actions to accelerate child labour elimination in 2021 will help to fast track progress towards achieving the SDG target to eliminate child labour by 2025. Furthermore, it will create momentum that will drive positive change through to 2025. In 2021, stakeholders will take action, learn from each other’s experience, and scale up their interventions through innovative approaches.

  • World Children’s Day

    When my parents lost their land, I had to leave school and go to work

    I used to enjoy going to school and ever since I was small have wanted to become a great civil servant.  I wanted to become a minister.
    Break times were my favourite. I enjoyed playing outside with my schoolmates, Johan and Claver. After classes, I would go back home and help my mother, washing dishes and collecting firewood.
    It was nice working on my homework with my father in the evenings when he returned from the field. He made sure that we got to sleep early to be able to wake up on time for school.

  • News

    Experts Validate the Report of the Evaluation of the ECOWAS Regional Action Plan for the Elimination Child Labour, especially the Worst Forms

    ‘’ I reiterate the ECOWAS Commission’s commitment to provide purposeful leadership to accompany Member states in their quest to enhance integrated and coordinated actions, and the mobilisation of the adequate resources to end child labour in the region,’’ Dr. Siga Fatima Jagne, ECOWAS Commissioner for Social Affairs and Gender.

  • COVID-19: Protecting workers in the workplace

    COVID-19 leads to massive labour income losses worldwide

    A new ILO analysis of the labour market impact of COVID-19 reveals a “massive” drop in labour income and a fiscal stimulus gap that threatens to increase inequality between richer and poorer countries. ''Just as we need to redouble our efforts to beat the virus, so we need to act urgently and at scale to overcome its economic, social and employment impacts. That includes sustaining support for jobs, businesses and incomes," Guy Ryder, ILO Director-General.

  • News

    The African Union Ten Year Action Plan on Child Labour plan moves toward implementation

    The African Union (AU) is initiating discussions with stakeholders on the implementation of African Union’s Ten Year Action Plan to Eradicate Child Labour, Forced Labour, Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery (2020-2030) adopted during the AU Summit held in February 2020. This initiative resonates well with the International Labour Organization (ILO) convention 182 on Worst Forms of Child Labour which is reaching its universal ratification.

  • Press release

    Malawi’s Tripartite Labour Advisory Council deliberates on child labour

    “The meeting gives employers great confidence in the Minister’s leadership. Social dialogue is the bedrock of labour and employment. When social dialogue takes place reliably and consistently, this can contribute greatly to the development of the country. Social dialogue is one of the processes that Malawi needs if we are to become a middle income country, and the involvement of the social partners is a prerequisite for the creation of sustainable jobs,”Mr. Buxton Kayuni, President of the Employers’ Consultative Association of Malawi (ECAM)

  • Policy Brief

    Policy Brief: The World of Work and COVID-19

    The COVID-19 pandemic has turned the world of work upside down. It is having a dramatic effect on the jobs, livelihoods and well-being of workers and their families and on enterprises across the globe, particularly the small and medium sized. As with so many aspects of this pandemic, the impacts are falling disproportionately on those who were already in precarious circumstances and who can least absorb the additional blow.

  • COVID-19 and child labour

    COVID-19 may push millions more children into child labour – ILO and UNICEF

    NEW YORK/GENEVA (ILO News) – Millions more children risk being pushed into child labour as a result of the COVID-19 crisis , which could lead to the first rise in child labour after 20 years of progress, according to a new brief from the International Labour Organization (ILO) and UNICEF. 

  • World Day Against Child Labour - 12 June 2020

    COVID-19: Protect children from child labour, now more than ever!

    We commemorate this year’s World Day against Child Labour, three months after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, which poses real risks to the global efforts in eradicating child labour. Now more than ever before, we must protect children in Africa from child labour!

  • High-level virtual debate

    COVID-19 and Child Labour: Looking forward in times of crisis

    The high-level virtual debate will stimulate dialogue on the importance of protecting children from child labour in COVID-19 response and recovery plans, while looking forward to the International Year on the Elimination of Child Labour, 2021, and the SDG Target 8.7 to end child labour in all its forms by 2025.

  • ILO and JICA Co-organize Online Study Session on Child Labour and Business

    The International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) jointly organised an online study Session on Child Labour and Business on how to strengthen the collaboration in the area of child labour in order to accelerate actions for achieving Target 8.7 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

  • Call for EOI for ACCEL Africa Evaluability Assessment

    ILO/ACCEL Project is looking for an international consultant to conduct the Evaluability Assessment of the ACCEL Africa project in June-July 2020 through a home-based exercise. The Evaluability Assessment of the project will take about 17 working days for the international independent consultant. The draft evaluation report should be submitted June-July 2020. The Report will be in English with Executive summary in French and English.

  • COVID-19: Protecting workers in the workplace

    New guidelines to help employers support families during COVID-19

    GENEVA (ILO News) – New guidelines for businesses, to help them support working families during the COVID-19 pandemic, have been issued by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) .

  • Taking next steps to end child labour in global supply chains

    ILO Director-General Guy Ryder took part in a panel discussion at a major conference that took place this week in the Netherlands that aimed to set out the next steps in ending child labour in global supply chains.

Our impact, their voices

  1. Malawi: National strategic 8.7 strategic roadmap (2023-2030)

    This roadmap, crafted through extensive consultations with diverse stakeholders, focuses on four key areas: child labour and forced labour, trafficking in persons, modern slavery, and child and forced marriages.

  2. Malawi

    Combating child labour in Malawi: A collaborative field visit to Thyolo's tea estates

    The primary objectives of this visit were to reinforce adherence to labour standards, bolster ongoing support from the private sector, and improve collaboration among stakeholders in promoting social justice and decent work conditions, which includes the crucial goal of eradicating child labour in the tea industry.

  3. Malawi

    Malawi launches Alliance 8.7 Roadmap on child labour, forced labour, modern slavery and human trafficking.

    Malawi launched the Alliance 8.7 Roadmap on child labour, forced labour, modern slavery and human trafficking. The Malawi Alliance 8.7 Roadmap is aligned to SDG target 8.7 which is to “Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labour in all its forms”.

  4. ACCEL Africa 2nd phase

    United against child labour: The Government of the Netherlands and the ILO renew their partnership through the 2nd phase of the ACCEL Africa project.

    In a significant move toward eradicating child labour and promoting sustainable development in target supply chains in Africa, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, and the International Labour Organization (ILO) are proud to announce their renewed collaboration through the 2nd phase of “Accelerating Action for the Elimination of Child Labour in Supply Chain in Africa” (ACCEL Africa) project.

  5. Sharing Results, Celebrating Impact!

    Results Book: ACCEL Africa

    The Results Book of the "Accelerating action for the elimination of child labour in supply chains in Africa (ACCEL Africa) project" 1st phase implementation presents a comprehensive account of the project's journey from November 2018 to June 2023.

  6. Sharing Results, Celebrating Impact!

    Results Video: ACCEL Africa

    The Results Video of the "Accelerating action for the elimination of child labour in supply chains in Africa (ACCEL Africa) project" 1st phase implementation presents a comprehensive account of the project's journey from November 2018 to June 2023.

  7. A holistic approach for the elimination of child labour and its roots causes in supply chains: Mainstreaming the promotion of the MNE Declaration in the ACCEL-Africa project

    Adopting a holistic approach is key to address child labour and its root causes. In the very early stages of its implementation, the ACCEL Africa project, implemented by the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work Branch, established a collaboration with the ILO Multinational Enterprises and Enterprises Engagement Unit. The objective of this collaboration was to promote and support comprehensive strategies and actions from business for the elimination of child labour and address its root causes based on the guidance provided by the MNE Declaration.

  8. Egypt

    ACCEL Africa results in Egypt

    The brief provides a description of the most relevant results of the ACCEL Africa project implementation in Egypt.

  9. Cote d'Ivoire

    ACCEL Africa Paves the Way for Change in Cote d'Ivoire's Cocoa and Gold Mining Value Chains

    The ACCEL Africa project recently concluded its capitalization workshop, marking an important milestone in its goal to accelerate action or elimination of child labour in the cocoa and artisanal gold mining value chains in Côte d'Ivoire.

  10. ACCEL Africa: World Day Against Child Labour 2023

    The International Labour Organization (ILO) launched the first World Day Against Child Labour in 2002 as a way to highlight the plight of children engaged in child labour. Observed on June 12th, the day is intended to serve as a catalyst for the growing worldwide movement against child labour.

  11. Nigeria

    Leaving the gold mining site and going back to school: Eliminating child labour in Nigeria

    In the small village of Kuchiko, the ILO ACCEL Africa project is helping young girls like Maimunat go back to school and pursue their dreams. The project is also supporting parents like Haruna Koko to earn an income and reduce the need to resort to child labour.

  12. Mali

    Social Finance going digital in Mali: Raising awareness about Child Labour and Microfinance through Mobile Technology

    The partnership between the ILO and VIAMO provided a cost-effective and tailored approach to awareness-raising that accommodates the preferences and capacities of Mali's communities.

  13. Uganda

    Digital Technology: A Game Changer in the Fight Against Child Labour in Uganda's Agriculture Sector

    ACCEL Africa integrates child-sensitive measures in financial services to reduce the risk of child labour within their operations and plays an active role in the fight against child labour.

Our work with value chain actors

  1. AUC-ILO Africa Forum on Child Labour

    Harnessing Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives to address Child Labour

    The AUC-ILO Forum, that hosted thirty AU’s member states from the different sub-regions in Africa, had as main objective to support the implementation of the African Union’s “Ten Year Action Plan to Eradicate Child Labour, Forced Labour, Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery (2020-2030)”, by promoting a continental multi-stakeholder dialogue on child labour elimination in supply chains.

  2. Compilation of guiding documents produced by employer organizations with ACCEL Africa technical and financial support with the aim of guiding employers on mainstreaming child labour across their operations.

New Publications

  1. Uganda

    Mapping and assessment of multi-stakeholder Child labour Monitoring Systems (CLMS) in Uganda - Districts of mBale, Hoima, Kabarole, Buikwe and Bushenyi

    Through the mapping and assessment of the existing CLMS in Uganda, the study contributes to the formulation of innovative approaches to strengthen, improve and scale up existing child labour monitoring mechanisms at the national as well as district levels in the country.

  2. Uganda

    Identifying productive strategies for inclusion and economic empowerment in the eradication and prevention of child labour in Uganda: Mapping and analysis of the coffee and tea supply chains

  3. Egypt

    Child labour monitoring systems in the MENA region: Good practices, challenges and recommendations for a child labour monitoring system in Egypt - A desk review

    The report analyses good CLMS practices in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and their successes and challenges, providing a basis for the establishment of a national Child Labour Monitoring System in Egypt.

  4. Nigeria

    Child labour in the artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector in Nigeria: A situational analysis

    The study carries out an analysis of child labour in the artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector in Nigeria, providing key recommendations aimed at ensuring the elimination of child labour in the sector.

  5. Social Finance Brief: Responsible finance in the cocoa supply chain in Côte d’Ivoire

    This brief assesses the responsibility of financial sector actors in eliminating child labour in the cocoa supply chain in Côte d’Ivoire. This includes current practices in the sector and recommendations to use their leverage role in tackling child labour.