Musawi discusses challenges in Pakistan’s Agribusiness Sector through the lens of social diligence and civil society engagement at the EU-funded Capacity-Building for Socially Diligent Agribusinesses (CSDA) Project launch by Helvetas Germany.

On 12 June 2025, Musawi participated in the official launch of the Capacity-Building for Socially Diligent Agribusinesses (CSDA) project in Lahore. The project, implemented by Helvetas Germany with funding from the European Union, brings together government, industry, civil society, and international partners to strengthen human rights due diligence and responsible business conduct across Pakistan’s cotton and rice value chains.

Representing Musawi, Barrister Khadija Yasmin Bokhari (Director, Litigation & Advocacy) contributed to a panel discussion focusing on “Benchmarking Challenges in Pakistan’s Agribusiness Sector: A Social Diligence Perspective.” In her remarks, she emphasized the importance of integrating rights-based approaches into compliance frameworks and ensuring that social diligence mechanisms are grounded in the lived realities of smallholder farming communities.

The CSDA project aligns with Pakistan’s obligations under the GSP+ framework and new EU legislation including the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), and the EU Forced Labour Regulation. Discussions at the launch highlighted the urgent need for multi-stakeholder collaboration, legal awareness, and institutional readiness to meet these evolving standards.

By participating in this important launch, Musawi reaffirmed its commitment to rights-based legal reform and the promotion of transparent, equitable, and socially diligent business practices, particularly in sectors impacting vulnerable farmer and worker communities.