Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Labour – Government of Cambodia, GMAC (Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia) and ILO’s BFC (International Labour Organization’s Better Factories Cambodia) have signed an MoU to extend the partnership for three more years, covering a period from January 2017 to December 2019.
During the said period, the partners have committed to increase collaboration to work together to improve the working conditions and boost the competitiveness of the Cambodian garment sector to build institutional sustainability of the programme. Cambodian constituents have agreed to contribute approximately 25 per cent to the BFC Budget over the next three years, while international garment buyers sourcing from factories that have deployed ILO Better Factories Cambodia programme will contribute to programme based on fees for services rendered.
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In addition to its current projects, BFC will also work with Ministry of Labour on the implementation of a joint strategy and action plan with the objective to support Government’s capacity and ownership to uphold compliance with labour law and support remediation in the garment and/or other sector as appropriate.
Ith Sam Heng, Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (MOLVT) averred, “BFC has played a key role in the growth of the industry and the improvement of working conditions. Under the new MoU, BFC and the MOLVT would step up collaboration on workplace inspection and enforcement of the labour law.”
The MoU has been renewed five times by the parties since the ILO-BFC programme began in 2001.
