AT a glance

Partners
Federal Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development (MOPHRD), provincial Labour Departments, Ministry of Agriculture, UN Agencies, Pakistan Buyers’ Forum, Child Labour Platform, Employers’ and Workers’ organizations, the relevant business associations, media, civil society, etc.

Target beneficiaries
Cotton producing and growing communities (farmers, workers and their families), relevant multinational enterprises (MNEs) and their direct suppliers in Pakistan, the ILO constituents (Government, Employers’ and Workers’ Organizations) and business associations.

Geographical focus
Pakistan nationwide primarily focusing on the major cotton producing provinces (Punjab and Sindh).

Project objectives

Pakistan is the 4th largest producer of cotton in the world with a huge potential to further increase crop yield.The sustainability of cotton production involves addressing its labour impact on farmers, workers, their families and communities. In cotton producing communities, children can be found performing work. Within this sector, women tend to be segregated to non-paid or lower paying tasks in some of the most arduous parts of the agricultural cycle. Challenges to equality can also originate from a combination of different grounds of discrimination. Low income and economic insecurity is often associated to work in agriculture and risks of hazardous working conditions can result in serious damage to workers’ health and well-being.

The project aims to foster a partnership approach among the partners on promoting Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (FPRW) for a sustainable cotton supply chain in Pakistan.

The immediate objective of the project is to improve respect for FPRW for a sustainable cotton supply chain in Pakistan.

Main activities

This project will contribute to the implementation of Decent Work in the cotton supply chain by supporting the implementation of FPRW in Pakistan. It will also support social dialogue on FPRW at the global, industry, workplace and community level with the aim of supporting a viable system of industrial relations.The project will pursue the following activities:

• Mappings of the cotton supply chain in selected communities.
• Diagnostics on decent work deficits with a particular focus on fundamental principles and rights at work for women and men, as and when required.
• Capacity building workshops and seminars on FPRW for cotton growing communities and other key stakeholders.
• Awareness raising campaigns on FPRW.
• Development of resource material (guides, posters) on role of Government, Employers’ and Workers’ Organizations to promote FPRW in the cotton supply chain.
• Coordination meetings with the main stakeholders.
• Social dialogue on FPRW at national and global level.

Project outcomes

• Improved knowledge base on FPRW in the cotton supply chain.
• Enhanced respect for FPRW in the cotton growing communities.
• Contribution to meaningful social dialogue platform and engagement on FPRW at the industry level.