Case studies >>Review of ADB-supported programme to protect female garment workers in Cambodia


First published: 2009-06-01

The garment industry in Cambodia has been a vital source of income for Cambodia since 1997, accounting for almost 95% of the country’s exports. In 2004 the garment industry provided jobs to an estimated 280,000 workers, of which 85-90% were women. The industry’s contribution to export earnings and domestic employment generation, particularly for women, significantly contributed to reducing poverty as well as women’s economic and social empowerment.

Until 2004, Cambodia’s garment industry flourished under the Multi-Fibre Agreement (MFA). With a liberalised trade market, Cambodia has had to contend with more competitive countries with integrated textile operations. In 2003, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), through the UK Department for International Development (DFID)-funded Poverty Reduction and Co-operation Fund (PRF) supported technical assistance to help Cambodia’s efforts to address the potentially adverse impacts of the MFA phase-out. The technical assistance involved an in-depth study of the industry, which formed the basis for developing strategies for its protection and for increasing workers’ productivity in both garment and non-garment sectors.

SDDirect undertook a cs study review of the Cambodia Female Garment Workers programme as part of an overall evaluation of the PRF. The review involved: consultations with the different stakeholders involved in the programme – factory operators, industry representatives, Ministries of Commerce and Women’s Affairs, participating NGOs, Trade Unions, consultants, and ADB staff; and discussions with garment workers engaged in industry related training programmes.

The purpose of the consultations and review was to establish the extent to which the proposed strategy addressed the ground social, political and economic realities for female workers in the garment industry. The cs study review was also designed to provide an in-depth analysis of the process through which the technical assistance programme had been formulated, developed and implemented in order to establish the extent of stakeholder ownership and potential sustainability.

The review found that a key strength of the technical assistance had been its origins – a strong demand from local stakeholders – government and the garment industry – for ADB support which had continued throughout the TA. A strong commitment to communication and dialogue between stakeholders throughout was also a key to its success. The research provided vital new knowledge about the garment industry and the workforce and the flow of remittances between urban and rural areas. This new knowledge about garment workers had been fundamental to bringing a poverty and gender focus into core discussions about strategy for the garment industry. The process of collaborative working between ADB social development specialists and economists also brought benefits for ADB through the increased understanding of social and poverty dimensions of trade and investment.

For more information about this project see www.adb.org/prf.