Collaboration initiated in Karachi to improve workplace standards in export industries


EU-funded initiative brings partners together to strengthen accountability and promote responsible business practices in key sectors

IV Report

KARACHI: Two local non-governmental organisations on September 25 launched a joint initiative to promote human rights safeguards, especially for youth and women, in Pakistan’s textile and leather sectors.

The Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC) and the Centre for Child Rights and Business (The Centre) will run the Child Rights Action Hub in Karachi with funding from the European Union, according to a press release. The forum is intended to support companies in strengthening human rights due diligence and improving their impact on children and young workers across supply chains.

The hub is designed to help businesses address challenges in global sourcing by promoting transparency, compliance and resilience. It will provide practical solutions and platforms for collective action, enabling companies to identify risks, build capacity and strengthen accountability. A second hub is expected to be launched in Multan next month.

At the launch event, attended by representatives of government, industry, civil society and the private sector, speakers highlighted the role of responsible business practices in driving sustainable change.

Rajvir Singh Sodha, Special Assistant to the Sindh Chief Minister on Human Rights, praised the effort, noting that the textile and leather industries were priority sectors for Pakistan’s economy. “We are happy to support this initiative, which contributes to the government’s efforts to reduce risks to children,” he said.

Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Pakistan, Jeroen Willems, underlined that the EU is the largest buyer of Pakistani products under the GSP+ scheme, which offers tariff exemptions in exchange for adherence to 27 international conventions on human rights, labour, environment and governance. “We will continue to support Pakistan in meeting these commitments,” he added.

SPARC Executive Director Asiya Arif said Pakistan had made progress on decent work and compliance with EU due diligence requirements. “This project consolidates those efforts and seeks to bridge gaps between demand and supply chains, ultimately benefiting children and helping the formal sector compete globally,” she said.

Participants were informed that textile and leather industries account for more than 40 per cent of industrial employment in Pakistan and play a major role in global trade. However, gaps in informal and lower-tier production, weak compliance systems and limited opportunities for young workers continue to pose risks for brands and suppliers seeking to meet international standards, according to the press release.

The hub will also offer capacity-building for suppliers, vocational training, and structured dialogue between business, government and civil society to enhance accountability and generate positive social outcomes.

Dr Ines Kaempfer, CEO of The Centre, stressed the importance of sustainable, people-centric development. Junaid Ur Rehman, Senior Vice Chairman of the Towel Manufacturers Association, called for a “culture of facilitation” instead of punitive approaches.

Kausar Eijaz Tata, Chairman Exports and Special Economic Zones at the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, pointed to the need for workplace reforms to enable greater female participation, while Abdul Samad Soomro, Joint Director Labour, Sindh government, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to eliminating child labour.

Photos: SPARC

 

  

With an uninterrupted 23-year career in daily journalism (1991-2013), the author/editor of this blog currently serves as Editor of Social Track, a weekly newspaper focused on social sectors, based in Karachi. Holding a master's degree in Mass Communications from the University of Karachi (1990), his professional experience includes roles as senior reporter at Daily Dawn, Karachi (May 2001-August 2013) and Chief Reporter at The News International, Karachi (April 1991-May 2001). He has a strong background in development journalism, he has an extensive portfolio of news stories, analytical reports and features covering a wide range of sectors. He has had the privilege of covering numerous high-profile figures, including Pakistani presidents, prime ministers, army chiefs, foreign dignitaries, and VVIPs and attending conferences and workshops abroad. He began his journalism career in the early 1980s. Throughout his career, he has received several national awards from government and private organisations. He has contributed to various radio and TV/channel broadcasts and has also served as a trainer at workshops in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad, focused on training journalists.

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