Weaving decent work into the fabric of supply chains in the cotton industry and beyond
The cotton, textile and garment supply chain support the livelihoods of millions globally, especially in developing countries. But this industry is not just about producing clothes; it’s about people, communities, and livelihoods.
30 October 2024
GENEVA (ILO News) – The International Labour Organization (ILO) has a long history of working to support decent work in supply chains in the sector. This means fair wages, safe working conditions and respect for fundamental labour rights.
This was at the heart of discussions at this year’s World Cotton Day event, which was held in Benin. Representing ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo, Ndeye Coumba Diop, Director of the ILO Country Office for Côte d’Ivoire, focused her remarks on the insecure and informal work conditions that women working in the cotton and garment sector find themselves in, and called for their empowerment in the cotton supply chain.
Women make up approximately 65 per cent of the cotton-picking workforce and 80 per cent of the textile industry globally. Despite this reality, they remain underrepresented in management roles, working instead in precarious and low-paying jobs.
The World Cotton Day event was part of the Partenariat pour le coton, an initiative bringing together the ILO, the World Trade Organization (WTO), The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the International Cotton Advisory Committee, among others, in order to help African countries grow their cotton sectors, bring their products to global markets, and create new and decent jobs that benefit local communities. These efforts will transform the cotton value chain into a vehicle for social justice and gender equality.
The ILO’s engagement with Partenariat pour le coton builds on its wide-ranging commitment to work with its partners – governments, workers and employers organizations – in twenty countries to address critical issues such as child labour, forced labour, and discrimination, while promoting skills development and social protection throughout the cotton supply chain. It also advocates for specialized trainings, skills development, and greater social protection for vulnerable groups within the supply chain, including women. In Côte d’Ivoire, for example, the ILO collaborates with the government to improve working conditions for women in agriculture, providing essential health and maternity protections.
Through partnerships and implementation of targeted programmes, the ILO is working to enhance the lives of millions engaged in the cotton, textile, and garment industries. With initiatives like IPEC+ and Better Work, the ILO works to uphold workers' rights, focusing on eliminating exploitative practices while ensuring fundamental rights such as freedom of association, collective bargaining and safe working conditions.