Grievance Mechanisms in the Textile and Garment Sector in Cambodia

Grievance mechanisms play a crucial role in improving working conditions in the garment and footwear industry. They provide a channel for workers to voice their concerns and complaints related to prevalent workplace issues such as health and safety, discrimination, harassment, or wages. With effective grievance mechanisms, workers are able to express their grievances without fear of retaliation, advocate for their rights, initiate changes that can improve their working conditions and access legal remedies. This can ultimately lead to better labor standards, increased transparency, and improved worker-management relations in the industry.

The following study analyses the landscape of existing grievance mechanisms in the garment and footwear industry in Cambodia, assessing both local mechanisms at the factory level as well as external mechanisms that require third-party intervention. It provides an overview of existing grievance structures and evaluates their capabilities for dispute resolution in the industry. The aim is to offer insights into the present state and effectiveness of the grievance mechanism ecosystem in the Cambodian garment and footwear industry, identify current challenges, and formulate recommendations to improve dispute resolution in the industry. 

The analysis is based on intensive desk research as well as qualitative interviews with a total of 76 factory staff working in five different factories and 17 individuals from relevant stakeholder groups such as unions, employer associations, brands, labor NGOs, and international NGOs. The study was commissioned and funded by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ) as part of the FABRIC Cambodia project.

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