LABOR DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES AWARD TO PROMOTE GENDER EQUALITY IN MOROCCO

FROM:  LABOR DEPARTMENT 

Nearly $1M awarded by US Labor Department to promote workplace gender equality in the Kingdom of Morocco

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs today announced a $998,384 grant award to promote gender equality in the workplace in the Kingdom of Morocco. The grant provides funding for a project that will be implemented through a cooperative agreement between the department and Management Systems International.

The project will be implemented in collaboration with the private sector, civil society organizations and the Government of Morocco to empower women through increased recognition, promotion and enforcement of their labor rights.

"Respecting the labor rights of working women and promoting gender equality in the workplace supports sustainable and inclusive economic growth and development," said Deputy Undersecretary of Labor for International Affairs Carol Pier. "This grant will provide technical assistance to support stakeholders' efforts on these critically important issues."

Since 1995, ILAB has funded technical assistance projects to improve worker rights, livelihoods and labor law compliance. ILAB's Office of Trade and Labor Affairs currently oversees approximately $76 million in active programming to provide such technical assistance in more than 72 countries.

DOL ANNOUNCES $5 MILLION GRANT TO REDUCE CHILD LABOR IN BURMA

FROM:  U.S. LABOR DEPARTMENT 
$5M grant to reduce child labor in Burma awarded by US Labor Department

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs today announced the award of a $5 million cooperative agreement to the International Labour Organization to implement a project to reduce child labor in Burma and support the Government of Burma's efforts to comply with international standards.

The project will:
support research and collection of data on the extent and nature of child labor in Burma, build the capacity of national and local organizations to carry out efforts to reduce child labor, implement pilot programs to remove or prevent children from involvement in exploitative labor and raise awareness about child labor in the country.

"This project will develop effective strategies for reducing child labor in Burma," said Deputy Undersecretary of Labor for International Affairs Carol Pier. "It will expand understanding of the extent and nature of the problem and help stakeholders in the country increase efforts to protect children."

The project involves collaboration among key government agencies and ministries at the national, regional and local levels, including the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security. It will also work with workers' organizations, employers' organizations, civil society organizations and teachers.

Since 1995, ILAB projects have rescued approximately 1.7 million children from exploitative child labor. The Labor Department has funded 275 such projects implemented by more than 65 organizations in 93 countries. ILAB currently oversees more than $245 million of active programming to combat the worst forms of child labor.

$10.5 MILLION GRANT

FROM:  U.S. EDUCATION DEPARTMENT 
National Center on Deaf-Blindness Awarded $10.5 Million Grant to Help Improve Services for Children who are Deaf-Blind
OCTOBER 21, 2013
Contact:   Press Office, (202) 401-1576, press@ed.gov 

The U.S. Department of Education announced today a $10.5 million grant over five years to the National Center on Deaf-Blindness, a consortium of the Teaching Research Institute at Western Oregon University, the Helen Keller National Center, and Perkins School for the Blind for the continued operation of the National Technical Assistance Center for Children who are Deaf-Blind. The grant money was disbursed before the recent government shutdown and was not affected by the temporary lapse in funding.

The center will improve services and results for children who are deaf- blind by implementing systems change efforts that have proven successful. The center will also develop and implement innovative technology applications to support improved systems integration between the national center and the state and multi-state projects, and will engage in knowledge synthesis and product development activities to guide and evaluate universal, targeted, and intensive technical assistance efforts.

"This grant will help the National Center on Deaf-Blindness continue its very important work to ensure that deaf-blind students get the support and resources they need to succeed in their education," said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. "All students deserve to be equipped with the appropriate tools and services they need to help them improve academically."

To provide these services nationally, the university plans several activities, including developing an efficient, integrated national system for delivery of deaf-blind technical assistance and facilitating its use by the Deaf-Blind Technical Assistance Network; promoting the use of evidence-based interventions and instruction for infants, children, and youth who are deaf-blind; delivering technical assistance at universal, targeted, and intensive levels in focused areas of high need; and improving opportunities for high-quality family engagement and partnerships, including enhanced collaborations with parent centers.

The grant is being awarded by the Education Department’s Office of Special Education Programs.