Special economic zones (SEZs) have spread rapidly over the past 20 years, including in many low- and middle-income countries keen to attract private investment for industrial development. But while much debate has focused on their economic performance and success factors and on links with the wider architecture of international economic law, there are enduring concerns over respect for labour rights in SEZs. These concerns are partly rooted in features of the legal regimes that underpin SEZs, such as arrangements that qualify the application of ordinary labour law, or ineffective systems to ensure compliance. This article discusses the law governing labour rights in SEZs, drawing on the case studies of Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Kenya—three countries reflecting different generations of SEZ legislation, types of SEZs, and regulatory approaches. The article explores the complex interplay of different ‘unilateral’ and international legal regimes, the structural features that affect labour rights in SEZs, and possible ways forward for research and practice.

中文翻译：

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经济特区的劳工权利：在单边主义与跨国法扩散之间

过去 20 年，经济特区 (SEZ) 迅速扩张，包括在许多热衷于吸引私人投资以促进工业发展的中低收入国家。但是，虽然很多争论都集中在它们的经济表现和成功因素以及与更广泛的国际经济法架构的联系上，但对于经济特区尊重劳工权利的担忧却一直存在。这些担忧部分源于支持经济特区的法律制度的特征，例如限制普通劳动法适用的安排，或确保合规的无效系统。本文讨论了管理经济特区劳工权利的法律，借鉴了孟加拉国、埃塞俄比亚和肯尼亚的案例研究——这三个国家反映了不同世代的经济特区立法、经济特区的类型和监管方法。