Print page

Program Contribution to Brücke – Le Pont 2019 - 2020

Project completed

Brücke-Le pont is an independent organization established by Travail.Suisse and the Catholic workers' movement (KAB). It has a strong support base in Switzerland and more than 60 years of experience in development cooperation in the South. Its program "Decent Work” includes some 30 projects in Togo, Benin, Salvador, Honduras, Brazil and Bolivia. The programme improves lives of disadvantaged people through vocational trainings, improved access to the labour market, income generation and improved respect of labour rights.

Country/region Topic Period Budget
Global
Employment & economic development
Agriculture & food security
Vocational training
Employment creation
Agricultural development
Vocational training
01.01.2019 - 31.12.2020
 CHF  3’900’000
The project in brief
Background Brücke- Le pont is often witness to violations of human rights, particularly those work-related. According to the UN, 45 percent of all people work under precarious conditions. Employees in the informal sector usually have no employment contracts or social benefits. Unhealthy working conditions are not uncommon and slave labour is still a reality in many countries. Conditions are precarious in many places even in the formal labour market. Vulnerability is especially high for younger workers. According to UN (2017), 9% of adult workers and their families live in extreme poverty compared to 15% of youth workers. Additional challenges include:  environmental degradation, inhumane working conditions, child-labour and forced expulsions. Around 1 in 10 children worldwide were engaged in child labour in 2012; more than half of them (85 million) were exposed to hazardous forms of work. (UN) The "Decent Work” program is based on a relevant ILO-concept from 1999 and corresponds with the SDG 8 of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development.
Objectives Brücke-Le pont helps disadvantaged people in Africa and Latin America improve their working and living conditions and overcome poverty through fair and sustainable socio-economic development.
Medium-term outcomes
  • The beneficiaries have secured or increased their income.
  • Beneficiaries have improved their ability to access decent work or self-employment.
  • The framework conditions for a "work in dignity" could be improved.
  • Brücke - Le pont, its parent organisations, the SDC and other NGOs working on labour rights share the same vision concerning a better involvement of employers in working against inhumane / unfair working conditions in the program countries.
  • Together with SDC and other institutional partners, Brücke - Le pont has introduced coherent and consistent standards for the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (PSEAH) and functioning compliance mechanisms for a protected reporting and independent treatment of cases of inappropriate behaviour.
  • Brücke - Le pont has actively contributed to the dialogue on the future of international cooperation with their expertise and experience
Results

Results from previous phases:  

  1. The beneficiaries have secured or increased their income.
    - 186,527 beneficiaries improved their financial situation due to the implemented program activities.
    - 573 professionally qualified persons have found a decently paid job.
    - 143 adequately paid jobs were created by micro and small enterprises.
  2. Beneficiaries have improved their ability to access decent work or self-employment.
    - 36,460 beneficiaries have improved their personal and professional skills to safeguard and develop their income-generating measure.
  3. The framework conditions for a "work in dignity" could be improved.
    - 6,661,392 beneficiaries have improved their knowledge regarding labour rights.
    - 871'638 cases were resolved in the area of legal implementation of labour rights and 3'578'655 CHF repayments to female workers whose rights were violated were made.
    - 60 people were freed from forced labour.


A workshop was organized on "Strengthening labour rights - how could (potential) employers be more meaningfully engaged".


The focus of the annual conference of SDC and the Brücke - Le pont on the topic "Strengthening labour rights - how can (potential) employers be even more meaningfully involved" was on the joint learning process. SDC recognized the unique selling point of Brücke - Le pont in this area. Solidar Suisse and Swisscontact also attended the conference.


Travail.Suisse actively involved Brücke - Le pont in the planning of the ILO anniversary.
Directorate/federal office responsible SDC
Credit area Development cooperation
Project partners Contract partner
Swiss Non-profit Organisation
  • Brücke – Le pont


Budget Current phase Swiss budget CHF    3’900’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    3’900’000
Project phases

Phase 8 01.01.2019 - 31.12.2020   (Completed)

Phase 7 01.01.2017 - 31.12.2018   (Completed) Phase 6 01.01.2015 - 31.12.2016   (Completed) Phase 5 01.01.2013 - 31.12.2014   (Completed)
  • Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation OTHER SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICES
    AGRICULTURE
    EDUCATION
    Sub-Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation
    Employment policy and administrative management
    Agricultural development
    Vocational training
    Cross-cutting topics Human rights
    The project also supports partner organisation improvements
    Aid Type Core contribution
    Project number

    7F02592

Start of page
Last update 23.01.2021