Bringing human rights into fashion: issues, challenges and underused potentials in the transnational garment industry

Abstract

The transnational garment industry has the potential to be an engine for socio-economic development in the Asia-Pacific region. It provides ample employment opportunities, particularly for women, enabling - at least in theory - their economic empowerment. However, there is a persistent governance gap in the garment sector, resulting in serious human rights impacts, which chiefly affect women, who make up the majority of garment workers both in the formal and informal sector. This poor human rights record hinders sustainable development. This analysis by the German Institute for Human Rights seeks answers to the question of what contributes to and perpetuates the governance gaps in the global garment sector and what needs to be done to close them.