News from ECLT Foundation

ECLT Foundation e-News April 2015

Making a Better Life for Children in Tobacco-Growing Communities

News From the Field

An Interview with Jennifer Aguti - CEO of Uganda Women's Effort to Save Orphans

"In order for women to meet their maximum potential, they need to face and overcome challenges against gender equality," said Jennifer Aguti in a recent interview with the ECLT Foundation.

"Ugandan women directly shoulder the impact of the social, economic and political crises that characterize the region. This is manifested in unequal accessibility to production resources, socio-economic opportunities, lack of education, and division of labour, to mention but a few."

Aguti addressed issues that are key to the condition of women and gender equality in Uganda and highlighted how recent efforts toward change have made a positive impact on the lives of Ugandan Women.

Read the Full Interview

Today at the ECLT Foundation

ECLT Foundation in Action

Key Intervention Project: Building Paths to Decent Youth Employment in Rural Guatemala

In 2013, the ECLT Foundation and the Costa Rica Office of Defence for Children International (DCI-CR) piloted a Key Intervention Project on Youth Employment targeting the tobacco-growing communities of Guatemala. The results of a baseline study indicated a clear need and opportunity for high impact in the La Máquina region.

The approach to promote decent youth employment works on delivering four complementary initiatives:

Schooling support for children at high risk of child labour
Child labour training for tobacco extension workers
Child labour awareness-rising campaign
Involving the Guatemalan National Commission for the Prevention and Eradication of Child Labour

Global Progress to End Child Labour

UN Forum Encourages Public Reporting on Human Rights

In December 2014, the ECLT Foundation attended the third annual UN Forum on Business and Human Rights.

Day two of the forum consisted of a panel of business representatives encouraging companies to publicly disclose the processes and systems they are putting in place to respect human rights, and to be open and upfront about the challenges they face in the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

Key takeaways from day 2 of the forum:

The cost of integrating human rights in business systems is lower than the costs of failing to do so.
Encouraging and developing a 'speak up' culture within the company is crucial.
Read More

Message from the Executive Director

ECLT Foundation Elected Officers at 33rd Board Meeting in Geneva

I am pleased to announce that on 23 March 2015, the ECLT Foundation Board elected the President, Vice president, and Treasurer of the Foundation.

Antonio Abrunhosa, founding member of the ECLT Foundation was re-elected as president for the next three years. On occasion of his re-election, Abrunhosa highlighted the important cooperative initiatives achieved by the ECLT Foundation, as well as movement toward combatting child labour.

Kirsty Green-Mann, Head of Corporate Responsibility of Imperial Tobacco Group was elected vice-president of the ECLT Foundation for the next two years. Her remit includes definition and implementation of the company's responsibility strategy, stakeholder engagement, partnership and community investment, and corporate responsibility reporting and human rights.

Simon Green, Regional Director Switzerland of Alliance One International was re-elected as Treasurer of the ECLT Foundation for 1 more year. He has served on the ECLT Foundation Board since 2005 and as treasurer since 2013.

Thank you for your support -
together we can make a better life for children in tobacco-growing communities!

ECLT Foundation
14 rue Jacques-Dalphin
1227 Carouge
Geneva, Switzerland
+41 22 306 14 44
www.eclt.org

Stay informed - like us, follow us, and learn more about us.