The Institute for
Policy Studies and the International Labor Rights Forum invite you
to:

A brownbag
discussion about U.S. trade policy and workers’ rights in
Africa

Wednesday,
January 9, 2008

Noon – 2:00 PM
EST

Institute for
Policy Studies

1112
16^th St. NW, Suite 600

Washington, DC 20036

Nearest Metro:
Farragut North

Please join us
for a discussion about the African Growth and Opportunity Act and its impact on
workers in Africa, especially women workers in
the textile industry.  Our guests can address a range of issues including labor
rights, gender-based advocacy, economic and social rights, trade policy,
corporate social responsibility, the trade union movement in Africa and more.  Specific information on the advocates is available below.

 Featuring:

Steve
Ouma Akoth, Human Rights and Governance Expert, Kenya

Mr. Ouma Akoth
is a member of the Board of Directors at the Center for Economic and Social
Rights, and former Deputy
Executive Director and Programs Coordinator at the Kenya Human
Rights Commission (KHRC). Mr. Ouma Akoth has a strong background in human rights advocacy and has played a
key role in agenda setting within the Kenyan and International human rights
network, especially in the area of good corporate citizenship economic, social
and cultural rights, and gender and related issues in Africa.

June
Hartley, Activist and International Labor Rights Expert, South Africa

Ms. Hartley’s experience working
with the trade union movement in Southern Africa dates back to as early as the
formation of unions in the region in the early seventies. She has worked as a
project manager in the Africa Office of the International Textile and Garment
and Leather Workers’ Federation (ITGLWF) as well as with the Solidarity Center.  Ms. Hartley has focused
specifically on advocating for the rights of women workers, who comprise the
majority of the labor force in the garment industry. She is currently based out
of South Africa as an independent consultant for
international, regional and national trade unions and non-governmental
organizations.

Matsepo
Anna Lehlokoana, Organizer with the Lesotho Clothing and Allies Workers Union, Lesotho

Ms. Lehlokoana is a woman organizer
from the Lesotho Clothing and Allied Workers Union (LECAWU).  She organizes
workers in Lesotho to advocate for better working conditions in a range of textile factories, including those supplying to Wal-Mart.  LECAWU fights a range of abuses including gender-based discrimination.  

Moderated by Emira
Woods, Co-Director Foreign Policy In Focus and Bill Fletcher, Board Chair
International Labor Rights Forum.

For
more details, please contact Ragini at ragini [at] ilrf.org">ragini [at] ilrf.org or 202-347-4100 ext. 0. 

International
Labor Rights Forum (www.LaborRights.org) and the Institute
for Policy Studies (www.IPS-DC.org)