The Myanmar Garment Manufacturers Association (MGMA) made an appeal to international brands on 25 August to maintain their business in the country as the industry plays a vital role in providing dignified livelihoods for hundreds of thousands of mainly young women employees.

The statement was made after a 17 August Reuters report on the decision of H&M Group, the world’s second-biggest fashion retailer, to gradually stop sourcing from Myanmar. It is said to be the last international brand to cut business with local suppliers after Zara’s owner Inditex, Primark, Marks & Spencer and others, prompted by calls not to link their businesses to human rights abuses in Myanmar in the aftermath of the 2021 military coup.

The MGMA mentioned that the decision of international brands to stop their business in Myanmar will have negative impacts on the livelihoods of the employees in the supplying factories, including higher risk of mass lay-offs amid a challenging economic climate.

The association also said that it is working to address labour and livelihood issues in the garment sector, with expanding cooperation with all the related stakeholders, and commitment to keep improving the working conditions in the industry.

The MGMA calls amidst criticism that conditions in Myanmar’s notorious garment industry had worsened post-coup.

The Business & Human Rights Resource Center made a report on 16 August noting that since the military takeover in February 2021, Myanmar garment workers have been severely affected by the rapidly worsening circumstances of gender-based violence, wage violations, inhumane working conditions and attacks on freedom of association. The NGO sought to remind the international brands of their unequivocal obligation to carefully monitor the working conditions in their supply chains.