Asia’s garment sector is responding to macro-level changes including supply chain pressures, socio-political shifts, and greater scrutiny of responsible business conduct. In this conversation, Kaori Nakamura-Osaka, ILO Assistant Director-General and Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, and Roopa Nair, Chief of ILO/IFC’s Better Work programme, share how the ILO and one of its flagship …

In 2019, the SIRAYE Programme was launched as an ambitious One ILO initiative to improve working conditions and promote inclusive industrialization in Ethiopia’s garment and textile sector. Against a challenging backdrop of conflict, COVID-19, and economic shocks, the programme was tested in ways few of the originators could have foreseen. In 2024, the programme was …

In 2019, the International Labour Organization launched an ambitious experiment in Ethiopia’s growing garment sector. The SIRAYE programme – meaning “my work” in Amharic – aimed to improve working conditions, increase productivity, and strengthen government oversight, supporting an industry and a country that appeared to be on the verge of a profound transformation. A recent …