Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- A forum "Social entrepreneurship in the textile industry" was organized in the capital as part of the Textile Week. It was attended by the Chairperson of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis, the Chairman of the National Commission for Combating Human Trafficking and Forced Labor Tanzila Narbayeva, heads of ministries and departments, as well as representatives of large international companies and confederations of employers of foreign countries, diplomatic missions in Uzbekistan and international organizations.

At the conference, attention was paid to the social responsibility of textile enterprises, including the protection of workers’ rights, improvement of working conditions and environmental sustainability of production. The forum participants, emphasizing the importance of developing social entrepreneurship in the textile industry, expressed their readiness to support this sector of the economy.

In her speech, the Chairperson of the Senate noted that, thanks to a strong political will, the system of labor relations has been radically reformed in Uzbekistan, effective cooperation has been established with representatives of civil society and international partner organizations, in particular, with the International Labor Organization. it was also noted that the legislative and organizational-legal base of the sphere has been strengthened, in particular, the ratio of the rights and obligations of employees and employers has been strengthened in a more balanced and equal way.

The conference discussed issues of protecting the rights of workers, social responsibility of business and ensuring environmental sustainability, the development of social entrepreneurship in the textile industry and its impact on economic growth and sustainable development of the country.

The conference launched a project to implement the joint program of the International Labor Organization and the International Finance Corporation "Better work", aimed at developing standards of decent work and entrepreneurship in the clothing industry in Uzbekistan.

In addition, during the conference between the Chairman of the National Commission for Combating Human Trafficking and Forced Labor

Tanzila Narbayeva, the representative of the Better Cotton Initiative programs Rachel Beckett and the chairman of the Uztekstilprom Association Ilhom Khaydarov signed a joint action plan, that is, the Road Map on Sustainable Development for 2023-2024 between Better Cotton and the National Commission to Combat Human Trafficking and Forced Labor.

It should be noted that the implementation of the joint program "Better work" and "Better Cotton Initiative" in Uzbekistan serves the wide introduction of modern, energy-saving technologies in the textile industry, reducing the impact of production on the environment, strengthening the social protection of workers, as well as improving labor relations on the basis of international standards, creation of decent and safe working conditions.

This will also provide an opportunity to improve the investment climate in the cotton and textile industry of Uzbekistan, the inflow of brands recognized in the world textile industry to the market, and most importantly, the creation of many new jobs.