News

Pact joins Alliance 8.7, further committing to ending child labor

March 15, 2019

Pact is proud to announce its membership in Alliance 8.7, an inclusive global partnership committed to achieving Target 8.7 of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, a target of Goal 8 – decent work and economic growth – focused on the eradication of child labor and modern slavery.

Target 8.7 – Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labor, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labor, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labor in all its forms.

A call to be a force for good, Alliance 8.7 supports countries and other partners in achieving Target 8.7 by increasing collaborative action, driving innovation and scaling solutions that work, and providing a platform to engage in dialogue and share knowledge and information.

Pact has worked with governments, local partners, the private sector and mining communities to address child labor in mining for more than 10 years, studying the issues that contribute to child mining and designing and delivering integrated programs that address the underlying causes.

“Child labor in mining is a complex issue that is inextricably linked to poverty, but we know there are solutions that work. They are scalable and replicable across different types of mines and geographies. We are committed to working with Alliance 8.7 partners to combat one of the worst forms of child labor,” said Cristina Villegas, Director of Pact’s Mines to Markets program.

Through the Alliance, partners participate in global action groups to coordinate research and advocacy, exchange knowledge and information, and drive implementation efforts to meet Target 8.7. Action groups reflect thematic priorities – Supply Chains, Rule of Law and Governance, Migration and Humanitarian Settings – to bring together partners and initiatives to work to maximize impact.

As a partner, Pact commits to actively implement programs contributing to Target 8.7 and uphold applicable international standards, including international labor standards. With this commitment, Pact supports Alliance 8.7 and its partners in advancing these principles and to further coordinate on sustainability in international development sectors.

Alliance 8.7 is made up of 15 country partners and more than 140 organizational partners representing international and regional organizations, social partners, businesses, civil society and academia, among others.

Learn more about Alliance 8.7 and Pact’s work to combat child labor in mining.