Report from the inaugural meeting of the International Working Group of the Garment Industry Call to Action

An early task for the Working Group is to select the priority countries for the Call to Action and the criteria for making these decisions is currently being finalised. Important considerations include the extent to which countries are dependent on the garment industry, have the financial ability to support the industry during the health and economic crisis, the liquidity needed to support business continuity and payment of worker wages and the level of social protection provision.

Working Group members are providing further information and the International Organisation of Employers has completed a survey of business organisations. Country selection is expected to be finalised by early next week when a further update will be provided.

As soon as country selection is finalised the Working Group will be writing to international financial institutions (IFIs) and donors on behalf of all organizations that have endorsed the Call to Action. Outreach to IFIs and donor governments will need to be well coordinated across organizations that have endorsed the Call to Action and further information will be provided about this.

The Working Group has undertaken to organise periodic meetings open to all organisations that have endorsed the Call to Action and to provide frequent updates of progress. 

A list of the members of the Working Group -representing Governments, Employers and Business Organisations and Trade Unions – is available on the webpage. At this early stage, there are some positions for employers, business and government representatives that have yet to be filled. This is to allow decisions concerning representation to take account of the selection of priority countries and the full diversity of endorsing organisations.  These posts will be allocated shortly.