Labor

Implemented by Partners of the Americas in partnership with the Technological Institute of Mexico (ITAM), this $15.4 million program runs from January 2026 to June 2030 with three goals: strengthen state-level labor law enforcement, promote employer compliance with Mexico’s 2019 Labor Reform and United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) obligations, and build workers’ and unions’ capacity to negotiate meaningful improvements in wages and working conditions. As enforcement institutions modernize case management, employers adopt compliance practices, and unions gain access to comparable bargaining data, wage suppression in USMCA-linked sectors is expected to decline, helping level the playing field for American workers.

This program works across three fronts. With ITAM, it deploys and institutionalizes an ecosystem of five digital platforms — covering inter-state case coordination, document verification, pre-strike conciliation, labor inspection, and worker legal defense — that give state labor authorities, conciliation centers, courts, and worker defense offices in nine priority states the tools to detect and resolve labor rights violations. It equips employers, from small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to multinational manufacturers, with tripartite dialogue summits and modular compliance training targeting the conduct most likely to trigger USMCA Rapid Response Mechanism complaints. With Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), it strengthens democratically elected unions through an open-data collective bargaining platform, international union exchanges, a Union Leadership School, and legal support to navigate Mexico’s labor justice system.

Sponsored by the United States Government

The Mexico Migration Messaging project, implemented by Partners of the Americas, supports efforts to reduce irregular migration by providing accurate information about U.S. immigration policies, countering misinformation, promoting voluntary return options, and raising awareness of the risks of crossing the border irregularly. This $2.5 million project runs from October 2023 through April 2027, focusing on messaging and outreach in Mexico and Latin America.

Mexico is a main transit country for migrants seeking to reach the United States. Although unauthorized border crossings have declined from their historic highs, U.S. authorities recorded more than one million encounters along the southwest border in 2024, highlighting the scale and complexity of the migration phenomenon in the region. The project combines strategic communications, audience research, digital engagement, misinformation research, and partnerships to reach populations vulnerable to migration-related misinformation. The project works closely with the U.S. Embassy in Mexico to produce evidence-based social media campaigns, short videos, dramatized and animated content, and print materials that address false narratives surrounding migration. The project also monitors emerging misinformation trends, supports the development of innovative AI-enabled tools to identify and respond to false narratives, and collaborates with local organizations, universities, media, and content creators to amplify credible information and expand the reach of campaign messages in the country.

Sponsored by the United States Government

Implemented by Partners of the Americas, this $2.5 million program runs from October 2025 to September 2030 with the goal of strengthening protection services for adult male victims of human trafficking and building the capacity of non-specialized shelter staff to provide trauma-informed, victim-centered care.

In Paraguay, roughly one in three trafficking victims is an adult man, often exploited through forced labor in the Chaco region’s cattle sector or trafficked to neighboring countries to work in agriculture, garment manufacturing, and cigarette factories—yet men remain the only major victim group without access to specialized shelter and institutional support. The program works across three fronts. Together with Paraguay’s Inter-Institutional Board to Prevent and Combat Human Trafficking, it identifies and formally establishes a dedicated shelter for adult male victims, with a clear pathway to full government ownership. It strengthens implementation of existing protection Standard Operating Procedures through training grounded in a new Adult Male Victim Care Manual, embedding both into national anti-trafficking policy. It also builds the capacity of Paraguay’s alternative shelter network, turning non-specialized centers into safe, trained points of care and referral for male survivors.

Sponsored by the United States Government

This project strengthened Mexico’s capacity to prevent and address labor and human rights risks associated with the 2026 FIFA World Cup. By working closely with local labor rights organizations and engaging national and local authorities, the project seeks to reduce the risk of labor and human rights violations during the event.

As the United States plays a central role as a co-host in the World Cup, ensuring fair labor practices and protecting worker rights in Mexico directly supports broader efforts to uphold standards across North America. By improving labor conditions, the project not only contributes to a more ethical labor environment in Mexico but also ensures that U.S. businesses are operating on a level playing field, free from unfair competition. By addressing these labor and human rights concerns proactively, Mexico United 2026 helps to reinforce the shared values between the U.S. and Mexico, fostering stronger trade relations and economic stability. This initiative reflects a commitment to ethical labor practices, supports workers’ rights, and strengthens regional partnerships that benefit both nations.

Sponsored by the United States Government

This project worked to improve Colombia’s compliance with local and international labor rights in the port sector. Focused on eliminating forced labor, child labor, and other labor violations, the project promotes compliance with international labor rights, strengthens workers’ organizations, and fosters social dialogue to address labor challenges in key Colombian ports. The project ran from 2020 to 2025 and focused on creating sustainable solutions to improve labor conditions and minimize disruptions in critical global supply chains.

By improving labor standards, the project helped level the playing field for U.S. businesses and reduce the risk of unfair competition from regions with weaker labor practices. Additionally, stabilizing Colombia’s port sector enhanced the efficiency and reliability of trade, benefiting U.S. businesses and supporting stronger economic ties between the U.S. and Colombia.

Sponsored by the United States Government

Ecuador’s banana and cut flower industries supply major global markets, including the United States, which buys 43% of the country’s cut flower exports and about 15% of its bananas. Both sectors, however, have a significant prevalence of child labor and forced labor, and labor standards are weakly enforced. Through the U.S. Department of Labor AgroJusto project, Partners of the Americas worked to eradicate child labor and forced labor and promote labor rights across these two supply chains. The project aimed to strengthen local governments’ capacity to enforce labor laws, raise workers’ awareness of their rights, and improve access to remedies for violations.

The goal was supply chains where children stay in school and adult workers earn a fair living in safe conditions. Because international buyers increasingly require clean supply chains, compliance protects both workers and the export jobs they depend on.

Sponsored by the United States Government

This project integrated and expanded upon existing efforts in Mexico to promote information about the 2019 Mexican Labor Reform, ensuring that workers, employers, and other key labor stakeholders can effectively navigate and utilize the country’s new labor systems. By strengthening outreach and education, the project supports fair labor standards and more balanced competition within North American trade. To advance its objectives, Partners of the Americas collaborated with local and international civil society organizations, and engaged prominent labor rights organizations, unions, and confederations in five key sectors—mining, auto assembly, auto parts, steel/aluminum, and electronics—where Mexico’s labor reforms have significant implications for labor conditions and trade commitments.

The project’s initiatives included equipping workers, employers, and union leaders with knowledge of their rights and the mechanisms available to address labor disputes. The project also strengthened the capacity of the federal and state-level Secretariat of Labor and Social Welfare and key institutions to conduct labor rights outreach and ensure effective implementation of labor reforms. By improving awareness of labor rights and promoting fair workplace practices, the project supported Mexico’s efforts to uphold labor commitments under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). This contributed to a stronger, more stable labor environment that benefits both Mexican and U.S. workers, reinforcing ethical labor practices and supporting fair competition across North American supply chains.

Sponsored by the United States Government

Women in Mexico’s workforce face workplace harassment, low pay, and limited representation in union leadership. These barriers constrain both their economic security and their voice in shaping working conditions. Through this Department of Labor-funded program, Partners of the Americas increased women’s leadership in unions, strengthened safeguards against harassment and abuse, and advocated for fair wages and compliance with minimum labor standards. The project worked with civil society organizations, women workers, unions, and employer associations, and integrated women’s labor rights into existing labor programs, funded by the U.S. Department of Labor.

The project trained more than 420 women workers and union leaders and provided legal support to 337 workers facing labor rights violations. It also supported companies and unions in adopting their own women’s rights committees and anti-harassment policies. Embedding women’s rights into existing labor institutions, rather than running standalone activities, helps protections outlast the project: a national network of women union leaders that the project helped strengthen remained active after the project ended.

Sponsored by the United States Government