U.S. Labor Department announces competitive solicitation for $9.5 million to combat child labor in Egypt

The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs on Thursday announced a $9.5 million competitive grant solicitation seeking applications from qualified organizations to combat the worst forms of child labor in the cotton and other agriculture sectors in Egypt.

The department said applicants should focus on five goals for combating child labor: the reduction of exploitative child labor through provision of direct educational services and address the root causes of child labor; and the strengthening of policies on child labor, education and sustainable livelihood, as well as the capacity of national institutions to combat child labor.

The other goals the Labor Department called for were an increase in public awareness of exploitative and hazardous child labor, its root causes and the importance of education for all children; support research, evaluation and reliable data collection on child labor, its root causes and effective strategies; and the promotion of the long-term sustainability of efforts to address issues involving child labor.

Applications should submit their proposals by November 22, as all cooperative agreement awards will be made by December 31.