The ILO and the Embassy of Sweden in Bangkok on 10-11 October 2017 convened a meeting to support the development of a possible future regional programme to promote decent work, environmental sustainability and gender equality in garment supply chains in Asia.
The consultation meeting included ILO constituents (representatives of governments, employers’ organizations and workers’ organizations) from 10 leading garment producing countries in Asia and key stakeholders from the sector. This event was part of a scoping exercise, undertaken by the ILO and the Embassy of Sweden in Bangkok, to inform the development of a possible future regional programme to promote decent work, environmental sustainability and gender equality in garment supply chains in Asia.
Among the objectives was to identify, map and analyse common challenges and opportunities to improve the delivery of the Decent Work agenda, which amongst others include industrial relations, in the garment sector supply chains in Asia.
Designed to be highly participatory, the event provided an opportunity for the over 110 participants to exchange views and information on main challenges to achieving decent work in the garment sector supply chains across Asia with a particular focus on industrial relations, gender equality and environmental sustainability.
Discussions in the meeting took into account the outcomes of the ILO Governing Body discussion on global supply chains, as well as findings from studies and consultations conducted in the region in preparation to the meeting.
H.E. Ambassador of Sweden to Thailand Staffan Herrström gave an introductory speech on 11 October. “A crucially important issue in so many ways,” the Ambassador wrote on his Facebook page.
The meeting informed possible future actions including the possibility of a regional project to address these gaps. The outcomes will be used to support the process of developing a regional project for submission to the Embassy of Sweden in Bangkok.
Sources: ILO, Ambassador Staffan Herrström
