Lesotho

Lesotho is one of the poorest countries in the world, ranked 156 out of 182 countries on the UNDP Human Development Index (2009). The apparel industry, which accounts for nearly half of the formally employed workforce, is the largest employer in the country. In late 2009, apparel factories employed over 40,000 workers, making up about 80% of all jobs in Lesotho’s manufacturing sector. In addition, women make up 85% of the apparel industry workforce, and surveys within the sector show that 43% of employees are HIV-positive.

By 2008, garment exports to the US, Lesotho’s largest garment export market, were worth US$ 340 million. This dependence on one market creates significant risks, including trade policy uncertainty. Ensuring a future for the industry in Lesotho requires a multifaceted approach, including efforts to improve vertical integration, diversify markets, enhance production and ensure high levels of compliance with labour and environmental standards.

Better Work Lesotho will work in close collaboration with existing initiatives, particularly those focusing on the apparel industry and capacity building being undertaken by the Ministry of Labor and Employment, as well as those of social partners (workers’ and employers’ organizations). Better Work Lesotho is part of the larger ILO Decent Work Country Programme, which includes ongoing efforts to support sustainable enterprise development and mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS in the workplace.

For more information on Better Work Lesotho, please contact:

Better Work Lesotho
LNDC, Kingsway Mall, Block D, Level 4 (left wing)
Tel: +266-62205559
Email: lesotho@betterwork.org

Better Work Lesotho is funded by the United States Department of Labor.