Side Event 16 - Extending Universal Health Coverage to address the root causes of child labour in the cocoa supply chain in Côte d’Ivoire: how the private sector can support the implementation of national policies?

ILO ACCEL Africa Project, funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in partnership with the Caisse Nationale d’Assurance Maladie (CNAM), the National Health Insurance Fund of Côte d’Ivoire, have tested an innovative model to extend Universal Health Coverage (UHC) to smallholder farmers in rural areas of Côte d’Ivoire applying a supply chain approach. The model has used the existing sourcing/operational structure of the value chain as an alternative distribution channel to increase access to services and improve client experience. Concretely, cooperatives, and their commercial partners like exporters, have supported CNAM in organizing awareness-raising and enrollment campaigns as well as exploring financing strategies to cover contributions payments. The model is paying particular attention to the delivery of quality services by health service providers at the community level to build trust and reduce reluctance to the social protection scheme. As a result, 1815 cocoa smallholder farmers, members of 8 cooperatives, have been enrolled to the UHC scheme and have received for the very first time a social security number. 2 cooperatives with support of their commercial partner/buyer of cocoa beans have offered a full year coverage to 233 members. The model is being replicated with 10 new cooperatives in other districts of Côte d’Ivoire.

By the end of this session, participants will know how to engage with (private) value chain actors and make the case to attract investments to support the implementation of national social protection schemes and contribute to the elimination of child labour in supply chains.

Extending Universal Health Coverage to eliminate child labour