In September 2015, all UN member States adopted the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals: 17 interrelated goals and 169 associated targets to promote economic, social and environmental development.

Under Target 8.7, all countries committed to take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labour in all its forms.

To achieve this target, in 2016 the Alliance 8.7 was launched as the global strategic partnership to coordinate and accelerate efforts. Under Alliance 8.7, an Action Group on Supply Chains was formed with the active participation of more than 130 organizations. Businesses have also joined this action group through the Child Labour Platform and the Business Network on Forced Labour among others.

At the national level, global commitments are translated in Pathfinder Countries. These countries commit to going further or faster to achieve target 8.7. They implement new actions, new approaches, and share lessons learned.

As of December 2019, 19 countries have become pathfinder countries:

Albania, Chile, Ethiopia, Fiji, Ghana, Guatemala, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Nigeria, Peru, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Uganda, and Vietnam.

Results and next steps