The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has decided not to renew partnerships with the tobacco industry through which it had received funding for projects on child labour and workers' rights, according to global development media platform Devex.

The organisation’s governing body made the decision in while session in Geneva. Director General Guy Ryder was instructed to continue efforts to eliminate child labour using other funds on a temporary basis, while making efforts to source new funding from the public and private sector.
Devex reported that tobacco industry funding has been ruled out “at least in the short term”.
Devex reported that one project with Japan Tobacco International was due to end by the end of the year, and that one project with the tobacco-funded not-for-profit Eliminating Child Labour in Tobacco Growing Foundation had ended in June. Combined funding for the two projects had seen some USD 15 million in funding from tobacco companies going towards ending child labour and improving workers’ rights in communities in Brazil, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.
The ILO’s engagement in funding partnerships with the tobacco industry has been the subject of controversy. The World Health Organisation tobacco control treaty, the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, called on the ILO ahead of the session to cut ties with tobacco.