Labor conditions in the strawberry fields of Andalusia, Spain are harsh for all workers regardless of their nationality: Salaries below the minimum wage, unpaid overtime, long working hours without breaks, and exposure to dangerous agrochemicals without protection are among the issues experienced by workers. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased these workers’ vulnerability to labor exploitation and creates even greater, possibly lethal, health risks.
In 2018, we conducted ground-breaking research, amplified our impact, and engaged with multinational brands to help eliminate labor and human rights abuses in global supply chains. Explore a selection of our achievements in assessments, consulting, policy, research, and training below.
As part of a multi-year project supported by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, Verité and the International Organization for Migration are arranging a study tour and roundtable discussion in Qatar for a newly formed association called the Association of Skilled Migrant Worker Agencies of Kenya (ASMAK), which is made up of Kenyan private employment agents (PEAs) that are committed to ethical recruitment practices.
Target 8.7 of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development requires that child labor be eliminated by 2015, yet according to the International Labour Organization (ILO), 152 million children around the world are in situations of child labor. Verité is currently working with Winrock and Lawyers without Borders to implement CLEAR II, a project to reduce the prevalence of child labor in eight countries. Lisa Cox is spearheading Verité’s role in this partnership, improving the capabilities of public inspectorates and private companies to identify and address child labor.
Verité’s vision is a world where people work under safe, fair, and legal conditions. In 2017, we conducted ground-breaking research, amplified our impact, and engaged multinational brands in long-term strategic partnerships towards making this vision a reality. Explore our achievements from last year below, and to support Verité’s work in 2018, please DONATE NOW.
