USAID/DCHA Global Labor Program FY 2017
THE NEED FOR FUNDING
$10,000,000 to USAID’s Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA) for the Global Labor Program (GLP).
Summary of Program
The Global Labor Program (GLP) supports efforts that promote international labor standards and strengthen labor unions and non-government organizations. The GLP plays a crucial role in addressing the underlying root causes of human trafficking and strengthens labor rights and workers’ organizations around the world. The GLP strengthens human trafficking prevention initiatives by supporting programs that improve the economic, social, and democratic development of vulnerable workers, such as migrant, informal economy, and women workers. These workers are particularly vulnerable to human trafficking, forced labor, and gender-based violence. The GLP also supports country-based regional and global programs on adherence to core labor standards.
Need
The GLP is an official long-standing USAID program, funded out of the Human Rights and Democracy Fund, through five-year cooperative agreements. The operational office for the program is the Center for Excellence in Democracy, Human Rights and Governance (DRG) at USAID, which is part of the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA). Currently, the program is funded at $7,500,000 per year. Additional funding is necessary to increase the GLP’s technical assistance to improve worker rights in trade partner countries. Increased funding is also necessary to strengthen existing gender programming and to promote gender equality to achieve full worker rights.
Solution
We request $10,000,000 to USAID’s Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA) for the Global Labor Program (GLP). This funding will increase technical assistance in trade partner countries on worker rights and gender programming. It will also strengthen GLP’s efforts to address the root causes of human trafficking, strengthen worker and labor rights, and improve trade partnerships around the world.
Proposed Report Language
The Committee recommends $10,000,000 to implement the Global Labor Program within the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance to increase technical assistance in trade partner countries on worker rights and gender programming. The Global Labor Program is critical to addressing the root causes of human trafficking, strengthening worker and labor rights, and improving trade partnerships around the world.