Example in Action: Lesotho Agreement to End Gender- Based Violence and Harassment (GBVH)

woman sitting near sewing machine and smiling
Photo Credit: Anna Stills_Alamy

  • In August 2019, labor unions and women’s rights advocates negotiated landmark agreements to combat gender-based violence and harassment with Levi Strauss, The Children’s Place, Kontoor Brands (known for Wrangler and Lee jeans), and apparel supplier Nien Hsing Textile. These enforceable agreements condition doing business with the supplier on the brands’ acceptance of a worker-led program to eliminate sexual harassment and abuse. The program features an independent complaint investigation body with the power to discipline abusive managers, supervisors, workers, and third parties.
  • These agreements arose from an investigation by the Worker Rights Consortium, which exposed severe and extensive sexual harassment and coercion at the supplier.
  • The unions and women’s rights organizations involved in negotiating these agreements included the Independent Democratic Union of Lesotho (IDUL), United Textile Employees (UNITE), the National Clothing Textile and Allied Workers Union (NACTWU), the Federation of Women Lawyers in Lesotho (FIDA), and Women and Law in Southern African Research and Education Trust-Lesotho (WLSA). Each brand agreement operates in tandem with a separate agreement among Nien Hsing Textile and the trade unions and women’s rights organizations to establish an independent investigative organization to receive complaints of GBVH from workers, carry out investigations and assessments, identify violations of a jointly developed code of conduct, and direct and enforce remedies in accordance with Lesotho law. The program involves extensive worker-to-worker and management training, education, and related activities.
  • The Solidarity Center and the Worker Rights Consortium provide technical and administrative assistance and support for the program.
  • The program’s model for employer accountability is partially modeled after the Fair Food Program and the International Accord.
  • For more information, please visit: https:/.wrwlesotho.org.ls/ and https://www.solidaritycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Lesotho-FINAL-2.7.23.pdf  

DOL welcomes examples of good practices 
to address child labor and forced labor. 

Email us at GlobalKids@dol.gov.