Tashkent, Uzbekistan, June 13, 2023—ILO and IFC are launching a new Better Work programme in Uzbekistan to improve working conditions and drive competitiveness in the country's key textile and garment industry.
IFC, ILO and Uzbekistan tripartite constituents – including government, employers, and workers' organizations – signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on May 30 setting out the conditions for the programme, which will initially be operational for 24 months. It will promote labour standards and competitiveness in textile and garment factories through compliance assessments, training and advisory services.
The agreement represents a major milestone for Uzbekistan on its journey to opening up its cotton, textile, and garment production to new export markets. Uzbekistan is among the top 10 cotton producers worldwide, and the sector has been undergoing significant reforms in recent years. Better Work will act as an industry convener and help ensure labor standards are upheld in Uzbek textile and garment factories.
"The programme will support the sustainable growth of textile and garment manufacturing, which has the potential to create thousands of new, decent jobs for mostly women garment workers in rural areas across the country," said Conor Boyle, Officer-in-Charge of Better Work.
The MoU builds on long-term efforts by the Uzbek government, World Bank Group, ILO and other stakeholders to improve labor and environmental standards in cotton fields. IFC has supported the cotton and textile industry in Uzbekistan since 2016 with advisory support and investments. The ILO has had a presence in the textile sector in Uzbekistan since 2013, including by monitoring the cotton harvest, and in 2022 reported the eradication of systemic child and forced labour in the Uzbek cotton production cycle. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has provided initial funding for the Better Work Uzbekistan programme.
Lukas Casey, IFC Manager for Manufacturing, Agribusiness and Services in the Middle East, Central Asia and Türkiye, said: "We hope Better Work's presence will send a strong signal to global apparel brands and retailers, some of whom are already considering sourcing from Uzbekistan, about the strength and sustainability of the Uzbek textile & garment industry."
For more information: email: uzbekistan@betterwork.org; or Sarah Thomas, ILO Communications Officer: email: thomass@ilo.org
For more information about IFC: Kymbat Ybyshova, IFC Communications Officer, email: kybyshova@ifc.org
About IFC
IFC — a member of the World Bank Group — is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. We work in more than 100 countries, using our capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities in developing countries. In fiscal year 2022, IFC committed a record $32.8 billion to private companies and financial institutions in developing countries, leveraging the power of the private sector to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity as economies grapple with the impacts of global compounding crises. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.
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