Bureau of Democracy, Rights, and Labor (DRL) FY 2017
THE NEED FOR FUNDING AND REPORT LANGUAGE
The Need for Funding and Report Language: $7,000,000 specifically for the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) to support labor rights, labor recruitment reform, and corporate accountability activities, as well as efforts to combat gender-based violence, and report language supporting the continuation of the labor and corporate accountability activities, within the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL).
Summary of Program
The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) works to protect human rights internationally through the promotion of freedom and democracy, using the values outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.46 DRL works with democratic partners, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, and engaged citizens that support freedom.47
Need
One of the central focus areas of the U.S. Government in the global fight against trafficking is the use of partnerships. Partnerships between governments, multilateral organizations, corporations, and non-governmental organizations are critical to creating a sustainable system that combats trafficking at every level. DRL is a central player in bringing together partners from all over the world especially in the areas of labor and corporate responsibility.
ATEST supports the labor and corporate accountability activities within DRL. These important programs strengthen multi-stakeholder engagement on labor and sexual abuses in supply chains (including of products exported to the United States). Examples of these programs include child labor initiatives in cotton and cocoa, efforts to support Brazil’s national plan against slave labor, capacity building for local labor monitoring and worker organizations, and initiatives to address the particular vulnerability of migrant workers and other vulnerable populations to abuse and exploitation.
DRL also supports programs that assist victims of gender-based violence, including human trafficking, and works directly with governments, international organizations, civil society, nongovernmental organizations, and others to compile information about international human rights violations such as human trafficking and forced labor, and publishes the annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices.
Solution
ATEST requests $7,000,000 specifically for support of labor rights, labor recruitment reform, and corporate accountability activities, as well as efforts to combat gender-based violence within the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL). In addition, we request the following report language to encourage DRL to continue these activities.
Proposed Report Language
The Committee urges the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor to continue its efforts to combat human trafficking and exploitive labor practices overseas, including its efforts to encourage businesses to adopt policies and participate in multi-stakeholder initiatives to eliminate such practices within corporate supply chains, to reform labor recruitment processes, and to strengthen its efforts to include issues related to human trafficking, forced labor, and other forms of modern slavery within its South-South intergovernmental cooperation programs. This also includes working directly with governments, international organizations, civil society, nongovernmental organizations, and others to compile information about international human rights violations such as human trafficking, and publishing the annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices.