Better Work

Nicaragua

In operation since 2010, Better Work Nicaragua focused on improving the working conditions and competitiveness of Nicaragua’s garment industry through a combination of advisory services, training, and industry seminars between compliance assessments. In early 2025, the Government of Nicaragua informed the ILO of its decision to withdraw from the Organization. As a result, Better Work operations in factories came to an end. These figures represent a snapshot as of June 2025.

Factories

32

Workers

45,421

A special intervention on the “Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH)” was rolled out to 11 factories in Nicaragua employing approximately 15,500 workers.

After three years in Better Work Nicaragua, workers reported being less concerned with late payments, low wages and excess overtime.

Factories enrolled in Better Work had no violations with safety and health measures to protect pregnant workers by their fifth year of participation, moving from 31% non-compliance to zero.

Better Work Nicaragua

Launched in 2010 through a cooperative agreement between the Nicaraguan government and international stakeholders, Better Work Nicaragua supported the country’s garment industry by improving working conditions and enhancing competitiveness through advisory services, training, and regular compliance assessments. The programme aimed to reduce poverty and expand decent work opportunities in the apparel sector.

Beyond the factory floor, Better Work Nicaragua played a key role in strengthening national institutions, promoting social dialogue, and embedding gender equality across its operations. Between January 2022 and September 2025, the programme organized 169 training events covering 17 different training topics, reaching 2,329 participants—1,100 of whom were women—as well as 8 industry seminars with 185 participants in total.

Over time, factories participating in the programme showed steady improvements in compliance with ILO labour standards and national legislation, especially in areas such as contracts, occupational safety and health, and working hours.

In early 2025, the Government of Nicaragua informed the ILO of its decision to withdraw from the Organization. As a result, Better Work operations in factories came to an end, and the programme officially closed at the end of September 2025.

MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAMME
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Strategic Goals

Better Work Nicaragua’s 2023-2027 strategic phase will work to achieve the following outcomes

By 2027, working conditions, business practices, and compliance across Nicaragua’s garment sector are further improved.

By 2027, the policy environment is enhanced with the aim to achieve a more fair and productive garment industry in the country.

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Contribution to Priority Themes

Better Work`s global strategy, Sustaining Impact sets out eight thematic priorities for our programme of work. Better Work Nicaragua`s work focuses on four of these cross-cutting themes, which are essential to achieving our strategic outcomes and will be present in our factory engagement, research, policy influencing and content produced as well as affect how we allocate our human and financial resources:

Data and Evidence

Data and Evidence

The use and accessibility of key Better Work factory data collected through assessment, advisory and training is constantly under review. Better Work Nicaragua is committed to evidence-based impact measurement to assess the impact of the POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment) intervention. Results will be used to further raise awareness about the importance of work on this issue among constituents.

Gender Equality and Inclusion

Gender Equality and Inclusion

Better Work Nicaragua has developed a holistic methodology called “POSH – Prevention of Sexual Harassment”, which works with factories for six months to implement a comprehensive intervention. This approach will continue to be expanded (currently in one third of Better Work Nicaragua factories) to more companies.

Occupational Safety and Health

Occupational Safety and Health

Better Work Nicaragua will continue to work on building a safety and health culture through worker-management dialogue and strengthening the unions’ capacity to work productively with employers on this thematic area. The programme will also focus on the management systems required for developing, implementing, achieving and maintaining safety and health policies.

Social Dialogue

Social Dialogue

Social Dialogue is at the core of factory level work in Nicaragua as the programme has supported the establishment of strong bi-partite committees at the enterprise level. The programme continues to strengthen these committees and their members to make inclusive and transparent social dialogue the norm in the sector.

 

Key Partners

Governments

Government

Ministry of Labour (MITRAB) National Free Trade Zone Commission (CNZF)
employers

Employers

Nicaraguan Apparel and Textiles Manufacturers Association (ANITEC)
Workers

Workers

Central Sandinista de Trabajadores (CST) Central Sandinista de Trabajadores, José Benito Escobar (CST-JBE) Confederación de unificación sindical (CUS) Confederación de Unidad de trabajadores (CUT)
Business Community

Brands and retailers

21 brands

Development Partners

Currently, Better Work Nicaragua uses a revenue-based model to provide its services and receives in-kind support from the National Free Trade Zone Commission (Comision Nacional de Zonas Francas). Past financial support has been provided by the United States Department of Labor (USDOL).

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