The Centre for Child Rights and Business

The Centre is looking to hire a #consultant in #Hungary to support the implementation of our child rights and human rights projects. The projects involve risk assessment and monitoring, preventing and addressing child labour, building capacity, and addressing other human rights risks. For more information on how to apply, please visit: https://lnkd.in/gFZCUdiX

LAUNCHING TODAY: National Campaign to #EndChildTrafficking in Sri Lanka Today is the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. #DidYouKnow ❓Globally, 1 in 3 victims of human trafficking is a CHILD. They miss out on their childhoods, are subjected to severe physical and emotional abuse, and are robbed of their basic rights to education, protection and survival. This year, the Forum on Child Protection in the Travel and Tourism Sector in Sri Lanka launched a national campaign, together with various partners, to call on the public to #ActNow and #EndChildTrafficking 🚫 As members of the Forum, The Centre is backing this campaign to help spread awareness. Posters in English, Tamil, and Sinhala are available to download and share. ➡️ Visit the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) website to learn more about identifying signs of child trafficking: https://lnkd.in/gtkinuRi

We're excited to announce the launch of Season 2 of the CRIB podcast, which includes an exciting line-up of experts from the global tea industry. Together, our mission is to explore key challenges to human rights and sustainability in the tea industry and highlight opportunities and initiatives already working to bring about positive changes. In Episode 1 of Season 2, our CEO Ines Kaempfer sat down with Shabnam Weber, President of the Tea and Herbal Association of Canada, during this week's Colombo International Tea Convention, where both spoke about sustainability and human rights due diligence at various panel discussions. Among the key topics discussed in this episode of the CRIB Podcast are fair prices, the issue of undervalued tea, the need to rethink existing business models and much more. Tune in to the full episode and follow The CRIB Podcast on Spotify, Amazon Music, Audacity, Apple Podcasts and other major podcast platforms. Spotify: https://lnkd.in/greXqUFB #TheCRIBPodcast #CRIB #ChildRightsinBusiness #Tea #Sustainability #HumanRights

We were delighted to have the opportunity to join the 10th round table on the topic of "Children's Rights in the Due Diligence Process" on June 5 in Germany, organised by Helpdesk Wirtschaft und Menschenrechte, UNICEF Deutschland, Save the Children Deutschland and UN Global Compact Netzwerk Deutschland This German blog provides a good overview of how business activities impact children's rights. It emphasises the importance of a child rights perspective in corporate due diligence, highlights the complexity of child rights violations and stresses the significance of implementing comprehensive measures beyond control mechanisms to prevent child labour, as well as the need for integrated prevention and remediation of child rights violations. The blog also provides key takeaways on how companies can support children's rights throughout their supply chain.

Congratulations to Dellawa Tea Smallholder Society, Galle district, for winning the second Seal Challenge of 2024 for their initiative to create a child rights action hub to work with school authorities to ensure that out-of-school children are provided support to participate in catch-up education and re-join school. This initiative not only contributes towards improving access to education but also works towards mitigating child labour. The first beneficiaries will be 24 out-of-school children. To help get this concept off the ground, Dellawa Tea Smallholder Society will receive technical support and a small funding boost from The Centre and Save the Children in Sri Lanka

Thank you, Sucafina, for highlighting our human rights work in Papua New Guinea in your sustainability report. In partnership with Save the Children Switzerland, in 2023, our team embarked on a journey to one of the most remote areas of Papua New Guinea to conduct a human rights impact assessment. The insights gained from these discussions have the potential to bring about significant positive change in the lives of these farmers. Based on this assessment, Sucafina will tailor the deployment of Community Facilitators in this specific community. Since 2022, The Centre has worked with Sucafina to roll out community facilitators who are active community members selected to ensure human rights protection. They are trained in human rights and country-specific labour regulations, becoming eyes and ears on the ground. You can find more about Sucafina’s actions in their sustainability report here: https://lnkd.in/g3yCkYpm

Today at the ETP Sri Lanka Forum, Selvanathan shared her story. Her mother worked as a tea plucker for over 26 years. While Selvanathan has also spent most of her life in the tea plantation, her experience has been different. Thanks to Talawakelle Tea Estates PLC (Member of Hayleys Plantations Sector), a subsidiary of The Hayleys Group (Hayleys PLC) and a member of the Mother and Child-Friendly Seal for Responsible Business, Selvanathan and her peers are challenging the status quo. The gender equality initiative at Talawakelle Tea Estates provides women with professional training opportunities to become plantation supervisors, regardless of whether they are already working on plantations or hold O-levels and A-levels certifications. These are the children of tea pluckers who, for the first time in the tea industry's history, are breaking the glass ceiling thanks to this business-driven initiative. Watch the video here: https://lnkd.in/grJ39p2P

We're proudly teaming up with Amba Estate, a social enterprise in agri-tourism in Sri Lanka, to jointly host an experiential workshop on sustainable agro-tourism this August 12-14. The target audience for this 2-day workshop is small to medium-sized tea estates or factory owners wishing to learn about successful models to increase income for workers to ensure their rights and dignity. Please register before July 29, as spaces are limited. Find out more here: https://lnkd.in/ghhaAnsJ #agrotourism #sustainabletea #ethicaltea #humanrightsduediligence #HRDD #motherandchildseal #srilanka #ambaestate

⚠ Child labour is not going anywhere. At the same time, identifying, assessing, and remediating child labour is increasingly required under international human rights due diligence regulations, such as the EU #CSDDD. So are grievance mechanisms up to the task of identifying and addressing child labour? 🔎 The Remedy Project and The Centre sought to address that question in our recently published white paper. We found that many businesses struggle to implement mechanisms that adequately identify instances of child labour and provide an effective remedy. 💡 We hope that this white paper will stimulate dialogue and inspire brands and their business partners to review and rethink existing approaches. 📖 Read the full paper here: https://lnkd.in/gQK9pbTP #HRDD #childlabour #childrights #supplychainsustainability #OGM #grievancemechanisms #accesstoremedy

While receiving over 1,000 reports of child labour is not something to be celebrated, The Centre has gained valuable insights from these cases, and we want to share them in our publication, "1000 Reports of Child Labour: Lessons, Insights, Reflections from our Child Labour Remediation Work." Through our experience dealing with these cases in global supply chains, we have identified key takeaways that are essential for future efforts to combat child labour effectively. Our data shows that most cases were found in first-tier factories, emphasising the need for improved visibility throughout the supply chain to gain a more accurate understanding of child labour. Factors such as pricing dynamics, supplier responsibilities, and contextual risks require open dialogues within companies. Additionally, enhanced strategies are needed for grievance mechanisms to better identify and address child labour issues. "1000 Reports of Child Labour" equips companies with practical resources and an understanding of the factors contributing to child labour and the strategies that can lead to successful remediation. It also offers actionable tips on how companies can expedite progress in preventing child labour and implementing effective long-term remediation. Read the publication here: https://bit.ly/3VjOYaG