Alliance 8.7 and Accountability Framework Webinar Report
On 15 June 2023, Free the Slaves and the Alliance 8.7 secretariat in Nepal hosted a webinar to increase awareness of Alliance 8.7, the Pathfinder countries, and the accountability framework. The target audience consisted of Nepalese NGO/CSO representatives, government officials, and media outlets. During the 90-minute meeting, a total of 19 participants were present. Free the Slaves and Alliance 8.7 Nepal facilitated the webinar together.
Tsering Diskit, Asia Program Officer, welcomed all attendees and introduced the facilitators, Mr. Bukeni Waruzi, CEO of Free the Slaves, and Ms. Nutan Sharma, Alliance 8.7 Nepal Secretariat.
Mr. Bukeni Waruzi introduced Alliance 8.7 and the function of Free the Slaves within the alliance. He emphasized that Free the Slaves is one of the three CSOs in Alliance 8.7’s Global Coordinating Group. He emphasized that the ultimate objective of Alliance 8.7 is to attain Sustainable Development Goal 8.7 by 2025. Mr. Waruzi also elucidated the concept of leading countries, which are nations committed to accelerating efforts and experimenting with new methods to attain target 8.7. He stated that the Global Coordinating Group evaluates and authorizes requests from countries to become pathfinders.
The discussion then shifted to the Accountability Framework, a vital subject. Mr. Waruzi explained that the framework seeks to strengthen the Pathfinder Country community by establishing clear coordination standards and expectations with partners. He stated that the framework was drafted by the SDG 8.7 Monitoring Working Group, which was led by Free the Slaves, with input from Pathfinder Countries, the Global Coordinating Group, and the Alliance 8.7 Secretariat. He explained the various phases of the framework, including the Expression of Interest phase, the Planning phase, the Implementation phase, the Monitoring and Reporting phase, and the Review phase. He emphasized that the Pathfinder Country bears the primary responsibility for implementation.
Following Mr. Waruzi’s presentation, Ms. Nutan Sharma discussed Nepal’s role as a Pathfinder Country. She gave a concise summary of Alliance 8.7 and its mission to eradicate various forms of enslavement. Nepal, according to Ms. Sharma, is a pioneering nation that has made significant progress in eradicating child labor, forced labor, human trafficking, and modern enslavement. She noted that the Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Labour, Employment, and Social Security in Nepal functions as the Alliance 8.7 focal point.
Ms. Sharma informed the attendees about the National Coordination Committee on Alliance 8.7, which is presided over by the Secretary of the Ministry of Labor, Employment, and Social Security. The committee is comprised of representatives from relevant ministries, the National Planning Commission, employer groups, and labor unions. Its responsibilities include evaluating and monitoring interventions pertaining to slavery and trafficking, enhancing coordination among stakeholders, and revising strategies as necessary.
In addition, Ms. Sharma detailed the pioneering activities undertaken by Nepal, such as the development of the National Master Plan II 2018-2028 Action Plan and municipal guidelines for the elimination of child labor. She highlighted Nepal’s participation in international conferences and seminars on the eradication of child labor. She concluded by delineating future plans, including the expansion of Alliance 8.7 mechanisms to all provinces, the implementation of integrated software, and the conduct of awareness campaigns.
Mr. Kuldeep Singh Chauhan, Regional Director for Asia, and Ms. Nutan Sharma thanked all webinar participants for their participation and time.
