Core Labour Standards and the Rights of Women Workers in International Supply Chains

By Women Working Worldwide

This project is concerned with the rights of women workers in international supply chains.

It has been developed within the context of renewed calls for the implementation of universal labour standards through company codes of conduct, social clauses in trade agreements and the implementation of ILO "core labour standards". These strategies are stimulating considerable debate amongst policy makers and labour movement activists in Europe. However there are two important and interrelated issues which are not being adequately addressed :-

- The complexity of international supply chains which operate against the implementation of any forms of regulation

- The relationship between core labour standards and the demands of women workers

Project objectives:

- Increased understanding of the operation of international sourcing in specific sectors and of the challenges involved in implementing labour standards along subcontracting chains

- Increased awareness of importance of gender issues in debates on universal labour standards. More gender sensitivity in policies and strategies.

- More support for women workers in international supply chains through worker solidarity, consumer awareness and institutional policy making

The focus of the project is on garment supply chains from Asia and fresh produce from Africa. This will build on the work with WWW partners in Asia and Africa.

Women Working Worldwide is a small UK voluntary organisation working with a global network of women worker organisations. It was started in 1983 when a group of researchers and activists came together to organise a conference on women and the international division of labour.