PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti (ILO News) – Better Work, the unique partnership programme of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), organized the first-ever international buyers forum in Haiti recently as part of a new project that is expected to create jobs and promote sustainable development and responsible labour practices in the country’s apparel industry.
More than 70 delegates representing international garment buyers, Haitian garment suppliers, workers’ and employers’ organizations, the Haitian government, the United States Department of Labor (USDOL), the United States Trade Representative (USTR) and the CTMO-Hope Commission, among others attended the forum.
Forum participants expressed support for Better Work Haiti and emphasised the importance of responsible labour practices in strengthening the competitiveness of Haiti’s apparel industry. In a joint statement, international buyers at the Forum expressed “support and optimism that the ‘Hope II’ and Better Work combination will bring sustainable economic benefits to Haiti.”
Better Work Haiti, funded by the US Deprtment of Labor, is being implemented as part of HOPE II (Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement) legislation approved by the US Congress last year. HOPE II gives tariff-free entry to the US market and includes provisions for improving labour standards. The HOPE II initiative is expected to create thousands of jobs in Haiti.
“The establishment of Better Work in Haiti represents a significant opportunity to support responsible labour practices in the apparel industry through close collaboration among international buyers, local manufacturers, unions and the government”, said Ros Harvey, Global Programme Manager for Better Work. “Through this cooperation and addressing other issues such good governance, sound infrastructure, skilled workforce and a stable operating environment, Better Work will play a large role in determining the long-term sustainability of the Haitian apparel sector”.
In an address to international business leaders sponsored by the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), former US President Bill Clinton who is now a UN Special Envoy to Haiti, referred to the Better Work programme stating “the ILO, building on its success in doubling employment in the Cambodian apparel industry, is teaming up with the IFC to do the same here. Garment industry manufacturers, the ILO and the Haitian government are working together to meet ILO guidelines and make sure workers’ rights are respected.”
The garment industry in Haiti employs 21,000 workers in 30 factories, accounting for 8 per cent of the countries total formal sector employment.
Contact Information:
In Haiti:
Richard Lavallée
Programme Manager – Better Work Haiti
Lavallee@betterwork.org
Tel: +509 38 32 83 37
In Geneva:
Corinne Perthuis
ILO Department of Communication
Perthuis@ilo.org
Tel: +41 79 593 14 91
About Better Work
Better Work, a unique partnership between the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), aims to improve labour standards and competitiveness in global supply chains. The focus is on scalable and sustainable solutions that build cooperation between government, employers’ and workers’ organizations, and international buyers. In Haiti, the program is supported by the United States Department of Labour. The Better Work global programme is supported by the governments of the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Ireland, Japan, Norway, Luxembourg, Italy, and New Zealand. Better Work country programmes are supported by the governments of the United States, Jordan, Australia, Canada, the European Union, Finland, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. For more information, visit www.betterwork.org
About the ILO
The International Labour Organization was established in 1919 by the Treaty of Versailles and became the first specialized agency of the United Nations system in 1946. Its work in setting and monitoring international labour standards has provided the framework for national labour law and practice in virtually all countries. The ILO's total budget for 2006-2007 is just over US$900 million, including a regular budget of US$594 million plus US$306 million in extra-budgetary funds associated with special technical cooperation projects. For more information, visit www.ilo.org
About IFC
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, creates opportunity for people to escape poverty and improve their lives. We foster sustainable economic growth in developing countries by supporting private sector development, mobilizing private capital, and providing advisory and risk mitigation services to businesses and governments. Our new investments totalled $16.2 billion in fiscal 2008, a 34 percent increase over the previous year. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.
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