Apparel groups sign statement on forced labour
The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA), Footwear Distributors & Retailers of America (FDRA) and other organisations issued a joint statement on July 23 to reiterate their commitment to identifying and eradicating forced labour in the clothing supply chain.
They said they had decided to issue the statement after various US government departments published a business advisory regarding “supply chain risks” in China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR).
In their statement, AAFA, FDRA and the other signatories urged US leaders to establish “a multi-stakeholder working group” to formulate a collective approach to assessing the problem of forced labour and identify “constructive solutions”.
They called for an increase in transparency and protection of the rights of workers and the integrity of global supply chains.
“We are and will continue to be committed to working with all key stakeholders on this critically important human rights issue,” the statement said.
