Cabo Verde
Trade for Decent Work in Cabo Verde has been instrumental in advancing labour rights and promoting gender equality through strategic interventions aimed at improving compliance with ILO Fundamental Conventions. With a focus on forced labour eradication, addressing child labour and promoting equal remuneration between men and women, the project has achieved significant progress in collaboration with ILO constituents.
Cabo Verde has been a member of the ILO since 1979. The country has ratified nine out of ten Fundamental Conventions, two governance conventions and five technical conventions.
External trade with the European Union (EU) is governed by a bilateral agreement. Cabo Verde, a beneficiary country of the EU Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+), has successfully ratified all GSP+ related conventions — 27 core international conventions on human rights and labour rights, good governance, and environmental protection. The project supports the effective implementation of the EU GSP+, with an emphasis on the effective application of ILO Fundamental Conventions, thereby contributing to sustainable global trade.
The ILO supervisory bodies have made several recommendations to enhance the application of ratified conventions by Cabo Verde and the country has made significant efforts to improve implementation and reporting, despite having a small public administration with limited resources.
The project has been providing technical and financial support to the Cabo Verdean authorities and the social partners to facilitate better follow-up to the recommendations of the ILO supervisory bodies and to increase the application of international labour standards. Strategic interventions to this effect aimed at improving compliance with ILO Fundamental Conventions have been instrumental in advancing labour rights and promoting gender equality. These efforts contribute to the sustainability and stability of trade relations between the EU and Cabo Verde.
Objective
The project contributes to Sustainable Development Goal 8 on promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment, and decent work for all, through improved labour relations and working conditions globally.
The project also promotes the ILO Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy (MNE Declaration), referenced in the EU Trade for All Policy, and the application of its principles in Cabo Verde with a focus on the tourism and fish-processing sectors.
Project implementation has been focused on strengthening the capacities of the Ministry of Labour as well as other ministries, state institutions, and social partners on the ILO’s supervisory system, particularly concerning forced labour, child labour and equal pay. The project management strategy is designed to maximize the engagement of social partners, enhance coordination between ministries, build on previous and ongoing ILO interventions in the country, and ensure cost-efficiency and national ownership, all aligned with the priorities identified by the ILO supervisory bodies.
In Cabo Verde, the project is centring its attention on the following objectives:
- Strengthening inter-institutional coordination and capacity building efforts to facilitate the implementation of the recommendations of the ILO supervisory bodies.
- Promoting and facilitating dialogue to address child labour in all its forms.
- Capacitating the social partners and the government including the labour administration to uphold and implement international labour standards.
- Promoting the MNE Declaration.
Achievements
The project facilitated social dialogue and coordination among national partners, leading to significant progress to make significant progress in combatting child labour with the updating of statistical data on child labour and enhanced stakeholder understanding of the issue.
In 2022, the project focused on reinforcing the capacity of the social partners to engage in national processes aimed at complying with International Labour Standards, particularly the principle of equal pay for work of equal value.
During the period 2022-2023, the project worked on building the capacity of ILO constituents to engage with multinational enterprises (MNEs) to promote responsible business conduct for the realization of decent work and the uptake of the principles outlined in the MNE Declaration. Dialogues were conducted involving constituents, businesses and stakeholders from the tourism and fish-processing sectors, which led to the development of roadmaps to enhance the application of the MNE Declarationon and its principles in the two sectors.
In 2024, the country officially designated national focal points for the promotion of the MNE Declaration in accordance with Annex II of the instrument.
Activities
The following are the project’s main priorities in Cabo Verde:
- Promoting the ratification of Fundamental Conventions and selected international labour conventions and protocols.
- Supporting effective participation in national processes that address gaps between national law and practice and international labour standards.
- Supporting tripartite constituents to allow them to strengthening the nexus between decent work and trade through engagement and dialogue with multinational enterprises by promoting the Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy (MNE Declaration).
- Supporting tripartite constituents in effectively fulfilling their respective roles in reporting to the supervisory bodies.
Resources
Informative / Cabo Verde
Trade for Decent Work Results Booklet
March 1, 2022
Informative / Cabo Verde
Stop Child Labour (Cape Verdean Creole)
January 1, 2022
Informative / Cabo Verde
Stop Child Labour
January 1, 2022
Fundamental Conventions and selected international labour standards and protocols ratified
Abolition of Forced Labour
Supporting the ratification of the Protocol of 2014 to the Forced Labour Convention, 1930
The project promoted the ratification of the Protocol of 2014 to the Forced Labour Convention, 1930, by organizing technical and advocacy meetings for decision makers- key ministries, the President’s Office, the National Assembly, and social partners.
Action
- Organization of technical meetings and advocacy workshops for Governmental authorities and stakeholders (2021-2022)
- Development of a report on the conformity of the national legislation with the Protocol of 2014 to the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (2022)
- Production of 10 videos on forced or compulsory labour (2023)
Results
- Development of a strategy to strengthen the effective strategy implementation of the principles for the elimination of child labour
- Roadmap to ratify the Protocol on Forced Labour adopted
- The Government commits to ratify the Protocol (expected to be in 2024)
- Awareness raised and capacity built for all citizens
Constituents effectively participate in national processes that address gaps between national law and practice and targeted conventions
Combatting Child Labour
Supporting the tripartite constituents to undertake initiatives with a view to combatting the worst forms of child labour
The project undertook technical and advocacy meetings with decision-makers, including key Ministries, the Government Office, the National Assembly, National Institutes, namely the Cabo Verdean Institute of Children and Adolescents, social partners, and NGOs. These initiatives successfully facilitated the initiation of the second national child labour survey and the translation of child labour statistics resolutions.
Action
- Technical consultation seminars (2021-2022)
- Survey on Child Labour (2023)
- Translation of child labour statistics resolutions
- Videos on child labour conventions in English and Portuguese
- Comic book on Child Labour (2022-2023)
Results
- Development of a strategy to reinforce the effective implementation of the principles for the elimination of child labour
- Updated data on child labour (2024)
- The relevant stakeholders and the public at large are more aware of the challenge of child labour in the country
Promoting equal pay for work of equal value
Supporting legal reform on equality and discrimination in employment and occupation
The project advocated for the adoption of the principle of equal pay for men and women for work of equal value, as enshrined in Convention No. 100, to promote gender equality in the workforce. In the process of revising the national legal framework, the project supported relevant ministries, the Government Office, the National Assembly, the Women Parliamentarians' Network, the Cape Verde Institute for Gender Equality and Equity, and social partners to promote pay equality for work of equal value.
Action
- Organization of technical meetings and advocacy workshops for Governmental authorities and stakeholders
- Launch of a National Inspection Campaign on Equality and Non-Discrimination
Results
- Validation of a study on pay inequalities (2021)
- Adoption of a roadmap for better implementation of the Equal Remuneration Convention (2021)
- Inclusion of the Checklist on gender equality and discrimination in the strategic plan for labour inspection (2023)
- Adoption of a refined inspection procedure report with actionable recommendations
Enhanced collaboration and dialogues between constituents, supply chain actors and trade partners to promote responsible business conduct in policy and practice
Promotion of the ILO Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy (MNE Declaration)
Supporting ILO constituents to develop national frameworks for the promotion of the principles of the MNE declaration
An important part of the Cabo Verdean economy is fish processing- a well-developed industry that contributes around 7% of the country's GDP and 80% of its exports. It is a priority sector owing to its relevance to food security and employment- it supports about 10,000 jobs. In this context, the project has focused on raising awareness on activities on the MNE Declaration in the fish-processing industry with the intention of promoting the Declaration's principles and boosting the social and economic benefits of the sustainable use of marine resources (SDG 14.7).
Action
- Tripartite national awareness raising workshop organized on the MNE Declaration
- Technical assistance provided for the promotion of the MNE Declaration and the application of its principles
- A dialogue was organised on the opportunities and challenges faced by the operation of multinational enterprises in the tourism sector
- A sensitization workshop was organized for multinational enterprises and stakeholders from the fish-processing sector
Results
- Integration of specific clauses referring to the MNE Declaration in the country's standard investment contract
- Appointment of National Focal Points to promote the MNE Declaration
- Adoption of national and sectoral roadmaps for promoting the MNE Declaration
- Strengthened social dialogue
- Development and validation of an action plan for the promotion of the MNE Declaration in the tourism sector
- Development of a draft roadmap to promote better uptake of the MNE Declaration and its principles in the fish-processing sector
Tripartite constituents effectively fulfil their respective roles in reporting to the ILO supervisory bodies
Building the awareness and capacity of ILO constituents to strengthen their reporting to the ILO supervisory bodies
Support for reporting on the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC)
The project supported the reporting process of the MLC (first report in 2021 and complementary report in 2022). This involved an analysis on whether national laws and regulations and other measures should be adopted/adjusted to comply with the requirements of the MLC. In addition, for greater sustainability in capacitating the relevant government personnel, project interventions took into consideration officials of different departments that were involved in the reporting process. For instance, the project facilitated the participation of an official from the Ministry of the Sea in the Workshop on the legal implementation of the MLC.
Action
- Organized technical meetings and consultation workshops for tripartite partners covering reporting on the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006
Results
- Successful submission of the first implementation report as well as a complementary report on the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006
- Enhanced inter-institutional coordination between the key ministries involved in the reporting process
- Strengthened social dialogue
Support for reporting on other ratified ILO Conventions
The project provided technical assistance to the government and the social partners on reporting to the ILO supervisory bodies on ratified ILO Conventions. This involved organizing awareness-raising initiatives and trainings on select Fundamental Conventions, facilitating discussions on legislative and regulatory changes in light of the comments of the ILO supervisory bodies, and enhancing the ability of the government to report in a timely manner.
Action
- Conducted technical meetings and consultation workshops for tripartite partners (2021-2023)
Results
- Timely submission of all the reports with no reports outstanding
- Established a system for reporting and follow up on CEACR’s comments named “Reporting on ILO Standards - Guide for Labour Administration – Cabo Verde”