Vientiane:A new phase of the SOLAR project was initiated to bolster labour rights, social protection, and decent working conditions for workers and small-scale producers in Lao PDR’s coffee, tea, and forestry industries.
According to Lao News Agency, the project, known as Reducing Vulnerability in Lao PDR: Advancing Social Protection and Labour Rights and Entitlements in the Coffee, Tea and Forestry Sectors – Phase II (SOLAR II), is funded by the European Union and led by the International Labour Organization (ILO). It will run from 2026 to 2030 with a budget of EUR 3.5 million.
Building on the successes of SOLAR I, which was implemented in southern Laos from 2021 to 2024 and reached over 12,600 farmers, SOLAR II aims to expand its activities to 16 districts in seven northern and central provinces. The project is expected to benefit approximately 32,000 workers and small-scale producers, ensuring that women constitute at least 50% of the beneficiaries and ethnic communities around 25%.
The project will focus on improving access to social security, creating safer and healthier workplaces, promoting collective representation and social dialogue, and ensuring gender equality and inclusion. Implementation will be led by the ILO and Oxfam in collaboration with government agencies, workers’ and employers’ organizations, and civil society groups, emphasizing strengthened local services, stakeholder capacity, and community participation.
During the launch, the ILO, Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare (MOLSW), Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LNCCI), and Lao Federation of Trade Unions (LFTU) signed a Cooperation Agreement to reaffirm their commitment to promoting decent work and social protection. Vice Minister of Labour and Social Welfare Keo Chanthavixay highlighted the importance of labour rights and social protection as crucial foundations for decent work and sustainable development, especially for workers in agriculture and forestry value chains.
The project is part of the European Union’s Team Europe Partnership for Sustainable and Inclusive Trade, Investment and Connectivity in the Agriculture and Forestry Sectors (TICAF) and the Global Gateway strategy. Following the launch, the first meeting of the Project Advisory Committee convened, bringing together government representatives, workers, employers, and civil society. A technical workshop scheduled for September 30 will further explore the challenges facing target groups and approaches to implementation.
