Uztextilprom: Uzbekistan as an example of socially responsible production

    International cooperation 24 February 2023 1129

    In continuation of the conference held on February 20, 2023 in connection with the "World Day of Social Justice", a meeting with a delegation of the International Labor Organization was held at the Uztextilprom Association. The meeting helped to determine the next steps in further work within the framework of the Better Work pilot program in Uzbekistan.

    Thanks to regular bilateral contacts at a high level, the partnership between Uzbekistan and the International Labour Organization (ILO) is steadily developing, and the implementation of social projects, together with international experts, has allowed achieving certain positive results in the field of compliance with international labor standards and norms in Uzbekistan.

    At the meeting, Assistant Secretary General of the ILO, Director of the ILO Bureau for Europe and Central Asia of the ILO Heinz Koller noted that Uzbekistan is the first of the countries participating in Better Work, which points the way to others and may in the future call itself socially responsible, especially in the field of textile production (socially responsible country - pathfinder).

    Currently, the Confederation of Employers of Uzbekistan (CRU), in cooperation with the Ministry of Labor, the Trade Union and other ministries and departments of the Republic, is exploring the possibility of promoting the ratification of ILO Conventions No. 149, 156, 183 and bringing national legislation in line with the provisions of these conventions. In particular, active work has begun on the ratification of the 102 Convention of the ILO "On Minimum Standards of Social Security"

    It should be recalled that the implementation of 27 fundamental international conventions on human rights, labor rights, environmental protection and good governance, including seven conventions of the International Labor Organization (ILO), was a condition for Uzbekistan to obtain GSP+ status in 2021.

    The KRU presented the Position of the KRU on the participation of employers in the implementation of the Social Protection Strategy of the Population of the Republic of Uzbekistan, developed jointly with the ILO specialist Arnaud de Koster, focusing on mandatory differentiation while maintaining an equal balance of participation in the formation of the Unemployment Benefits Fund between the employer, employee and state subsidies.

    Following the meeting, steps were outlined in the implementation of the Better Work pilot program in Uzbekistan, and such important areas within the framework of the program as freedom of association, labor inspection and gender equality in the workplace.