Alliance 8.7 and the Regional Initiative Latin America and the Caribbean Free of Child Labour join forces to advance a shared vision ahead of the Sixth Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour
Alliance 8.7 and the Regional Initiative Latin America and the Caribbean Free of Child Labour (RILAC) convened an Exchange among Pathfinder Countries on 22 October 2025, held online as a side event to the RILAC annual meeting.
The session gathered Pathfinder Country focal points from all regions to share experiences, align priorities, and strengthen cooperation towards achieving SDG Target 8.7. This dialogue forms part of the preparations for the Sixth Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour, to be hosted by the Kingdom of Morocco in February 2026.
The session was opened by Ambassador Claudia Fuentes Julio, Chair of Alliance 8.7. It aimed to deepen cooperation among Pathfinder Countries committed to ending child labour, forced labour and human trafficking, and to identify ways to translate global commitments into concrete national action.
“I would like to highlight the value of holding this session alongside the annual meeting of the Regional Initiative Latin America and the Caribbean Free of Child Labour,” Ambassador Fuentes Julio said.
“This collaboration demonstrates how regional experiences and South-South cooperation can strengthen our joint efforts within the framework of Alliance 8.7. Let us use this exchange to reinforce the Pathfinder Countries community, learn from one another, and inspire practical solutions.”
The Exchange focused on strengthening collaboration between Alliance 8.7 and RILAC, highlighting how both initiatives contribute to accelerating progress towards SDG 8.7.
The session also allowed Pathfinder Country focal points to share key thematic priorities emerging from regional tripartite consultations held in preparation for the Global Conference. These priorities will help shape the Alliance’s future direction and ensure that a collective perspective informs the Conference’s outcome document.
In addition, participants explored how Pathfinder Countries can bring forward the recommendations from the Global Conference into their national SDG 8.7 Roadmaps and strengthen their implementation. The Exchange further sought to build stronger connections among focal points and reinforce communication and tripartite collaboration across regions.
The event was organized with the support of the Government of the Netherlands and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), with the participation of Alliance 8.7’s Global Coordinating Group (GCG), RILAC members, and observers from partner countries. The discussions also built on the proposal advanced at the 19th Global Coordinating Group meeting (December 2024) to enhance synergies between Alliance 8.7 and RILAC.
About Alliance 8.7 and the Pathfinder Country approach
Launched in 2016, Alliance 8.7 is the global partnership to accelerate action towards SDG Target 8.7 — taking immediate and effective measures to end child labour, forced labour, human trafficking and modern slavery.
Since 2018, the Pathfinder Country strategy has helped countries test new approaches and scale up national action. To date, 38 countries have joined or expressed interest in becoming Pathfinder Countries, with 26 reporting on progress in implementing their national SDG 8.7 Roadmaps.
Through ongoing exchanges such as this one, Pathfinder Countries continue to drive collective progress towards a world free of child labour, forced labour and human trafficking.
This joint Exchange reaffirmed the shared commitment of Alliance 8.7 and the Regional Initiative to transform global commitments into tangible progress. By connecting regional experiences, fostering South-South collaboration and amplifying the voice, both initiatives continue to pave the way towards a world free of child labour, forced labour and human trafficking.