Ethiopia’s garment and textile industry has developed as part of the country’s industrialization strategy and efforts to increase foreign investment, but continues to face challenges in fulfilling workers’ rights, particularly regarding wages, working hours, and occupational safety and health (OSH). These conditions encouraged the International Labour Organization (ILO), together with national tripartite partners, to implement the ONEILO-SIRAYE Programme since 2019 to promote decent work and strengthen worker protection. This research employs a qualitative method using documentary study and is based on international organization theory, positioning the ILO as an actor with the capacity to provide technical assistance, training, capacity building, and social dialogue facilitation. A constructivist perspective is used to understand the process of socialization of labour standards. The findings show that through the SIRAYE Programme, the ILO has performed a facilitative, collaborative, and multi-level role through interventions targeting government, enterprises, workers, and trade unions. These interventions contributed to improvements in working conditions, including a reduction in working hours to 8.5 hours and chemical exposure from 33% to 18%. However, the ILO’s role remains partial due to the absence of an approved national minimum wage policy, non-compliance with overtime and OSH provisions, armed conflict, the COVID-19 pandemic, and high worker turnover. Thus, SIRAYE has contributed to building institutional capacity and establishing foundations for the sustainable protection of workers’ rights. Keywords: International Labour Organization, Workers’ Rights, Garment and Textile Industry, SIRAYE Programme, Ethiopia
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