Global Accelerator Lab (GALAB)

The Global Accelerator Lab (GALAB) project tackles the critical issue of child labour and forced labour, aligning with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 8.7 on decent work and economic growth. Funded by the United States Department of Labor (USDOL) and operating under the ILO 8.7 Accelerator Lab, a framework fostering innovative solutions to achieve this goal, the project works to eliminate all forms of child labour and forced labour.

Across target countries – Brazil, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Malaysia, Nigeria, Mauritania, Côte d’Ivoire, and Somalia – the project addresses the root causes that perpetuate child labour. This comprehensive approach involves working with governments to develop and implement stronger child labour policies and social protection measures, including those associated with childcare. The project also collaborates with local communities to promote health insurance access and provide skills training and alternative income-generating opportunities for families, empowering them to break the cycle of explotation.

The GALAB project fosters collaboration with key stakeholders, governments, workers’ and employers’ organizations, including the Alliance 8.7, a multi-stakeholder partnership committed to ending child labour and forced labour. 

At the regional level, GALAB supports the Regional Initiative Latin America and the Caribbean Free of Child Labour (RILAC), a tripartite platform made up of 31 countries and representatives of the International Organisation of Employers (IOE) and the Trade Union Confederation of the Americas (TUCA), which promotes policies, programmes and actions to prevent and eliminate child labour in the region.

Through a shared vision and collaborative efforts, the project ensures long-term impact. Businesses are also engaged through the ILO's Child Labour Platform (CLP) and the ILO's Global Business Network on Forced Labour (GBNFL) to promote ethical and responsible practices within their supply chains, and the project itself actively seeks and pilots innovative solutions to address child labour challenges in new and effective ways. 

Learn more about the project

Countries and sectors covered

• Ghana (fishing on Lake Volta)
• Ivory Coast (cocoa)
• Malaysia (palm oil)
• Mauritania (domestic labour)
• Nigeria (cocoa)
• Somalia (governance)
   

Development partner

The Global Accelerator Lab (GALAB) project is funded by the United States Department of Labor (USDOL) under cooperative agreement No. IL-37950-21-75-K / IL-37950-F12. One hundred percent of the total costs of the project is financed with federal funds, for a total of US$ 12,000,000.