section_path: Economy/Textiles
section_name: Textiles
paragraph_text: Textiles
  
  The garment industry represents the largest portion of Cambodia's manufacturing sector, accounting for 80% of the country's exports. In 2012, the exports grew to $4.61 billion up 8% over 2011. In the first half of 2013, the garment industry reported exports worth $1.56 billion. The sector employs 335,400 workers, of which 91% are female.
  
  Better Factories Cambodia was created in 2001 as a unique partnership between the ILO and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group. The programme engages with workers, employers, and governments to improve working conditions and boost the competitiveness of the garment industry. On 18 May 2018, the Project Advisory Committee (PAC) of the ILO Better Factories Cambodia Programme met in Phnom Penh to provide input into the draft conclusions and recommendations of the BFC's independent mid-term evaluation, as well as to discuss options on how to further strengthen the programme's transparent reporting initiative. The members of the PAC concurred with the findings of the evaluation related to the impact the programme has had on the Cambodian garment sector and workers, including:a. contributing to sustained overall growth of the garment industryb. improving the lives of at least half a million Cambodian workers of factories in the BFCprogramme and many more of their family members;c. ensuring that workers receive correct wages and social protection benefitsd. virtually eliminating child labour in the sectore. making Cambodia's garment factories safer overallf. creating a "level playing field" for labour across garment sectorg. influencing business practices through (1) using factory data to highlight areas forimprovement and (2) being a core part of risk management strategies of internationalbrands/buyers.