The new funding aligns with US obligations outlined in the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and with the goals of Mexico’s 2019 labour reform.

Verite, Inc. receives $4.4m to tackle child and forced labour

Non-profit Verite, Inc. which is focused on enhancing locally-led initiatives and fostering collaboration among key stakeholders will receive $4.4m to increase locally-led actions that address child labour and forced labour in the muncipalities of Chiapas and San Luis Potosí.

Pan American Development Foundation awarded $5m to address labour violations

Non-governmental organisation the Pan American Development Foundation will be entrusted with $5m to address child, forced and other labour violations, with a particular focus on promoting the rights of workers in the domestic work sector in Mexico City and Queretaro.

The project is designed to provide many services to advance labour rights for domestic workers, including leadership development, skills training, and improved access to legal and social services for both children and adults.

International Labor Organization granted $3m to safeguard migrant labour rights

The International Labor Organization (ILO) is set to use its funding to advance protections for migrants’ labour rights and bolster civil society efforts on behalf of migrant workers.

The grant activities will work towards strengthening the capacity of civil society organisations to protect migrant workers, with a particular emphasis on Mexican nationals participating in US temporary foreign worker programmes.

The funding will support fair recruitment initiatives and enhance awareness of labour rights among civil society and migrant workers.

Last August the US and Mexico joined forces to protect workers’ rights and announced a plan to rectify what was described as a “denial of rights” at the Industrias del Interior (INISA) garment facility located in the state of Aguascalientes.