On the World Day Against Child Labour, June 12th, the Faculty of Science and Technology of the University of Algarve, the Algarve Centre for Marine Sciences (CCMAR) and the João de Deus School (AEJD) announce their association with the International Labour Organization and the United Nations (UN) to, through Alliance 8.7, promote the #EndChildLabour2021 initiative in the Algarve. 

This initiative aims to raise awareness among the population and school community about the problem of school dropouts and integration into the labour market of young people of school age (under 18) in the Algarve, and implement regional and national partnerships to mitigate this problem and end child labour in the region. The Algarve is one of the regions with the highest school dropout rates in the country, mainly between the ages of 15 and 17, and the integration of these young people into the regional labour market is strongly conditioned by the seasonal nature of the regional tourism economy. This regional context, added to the disproportional effect that the COVID19 pandemic is having on the region's economy, significantly increases the risk of school dropout of young people in affected families with less economic resilience, as well as the possibility of being exploited in precarious jobs and without any labour protections. 

The #EndChildLabour2021 initiative starts, in the Algarve, with a network of partners who are committed to "promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and dignified work for all" so that, by 2025 and in alignment with Sustainable Goal 8 of the UN 2030 agenda, end child labour in all its aspects in the region. This network of partners includes, in this first phase, the Faculty of Science and Technology of the University of Algarve, the Algarve Centre for Marine Sciences (CCMAR) and the João de Deus School (AEJD), but intends to embrace more entities and partners in the region. 

The Faculty of Science and Technology (FCT) is an organic unit of the University of Algarve whose mission is to promote higher education supported by scientific research. This initiative is part of the mission of knowledge transfer and cooperation with schools in the Algarve region. The Algarve Centre for Marine Sciences (CCMAR) promotes multidisciplinary scientific research and advanced training about the marine environment. The CCMAR collaborates with schools in promoting the experimental education of sciences and technologies. The João de Deus School Grouping promotes educational achievement and provides equal educational opportunities, seeking to develop academic and social skills that enable the holistic development of students. At the international level, this network of partners joins the Alliance 8.7, a global partner determined to achieve Goal 8.7 of the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.