New ILO project launched to promote compliance and sustainability of international labour standards in South-East Asia export sectors

BANGKOK (ILO News) – A new International Labour Organization (ILO) project funded by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) aims to strengthen compliance and sustainability of international labour standards in export sectors in South-East Asia.

Launched on 5 November 2024 in Bangkok, the project, entitled “Trade, Labour and FPRW in South-East Asia,” will promote compliance with international labour standards, particularly the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (FPRW), in sectors critical to the region’s economy.

“Canada is providing targeted support to improve international labour standards in Southeast Asia by focussing on enforcing domestic labour laws, women’s access to representation and the elimination of forced and child labour. Our government sets the bar when it comes to workers’ rights, while supporting our trading partners around the world to strengthen and uphold these rights,” said Steven MacKinnon, Canada’s Minister of Labour and Seniors.

The five-year project aims to enhance compliance with labour rights, foster dialogue between governments, employers and workers, as well as ensure the integration of gender equality and inclusion across all project activities.

“South-East Asia’s rapid economic growth, fuelled by its export sectors, has not been matched by equal progress in labour rights,” said Panudda Boonpala, Deputy Director for ILO's Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. “Persistent challenges such as forced labour, child labour, unsafe working conditions and restricted union freedoms remain, especially in export-related industries. The Trade, Labour and FPRW in South-East Asia project will work alongside governments, employers and workers organizations to tackle these issues.”

In collaboration with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the project’s implementation strategy includes tailored training, technical assistance and capacity building for ASEAN labour officials, workers and employers’ organizations to uphold compliance with international labour standards.