Yes. It is the task of governments to provide good working conditions and to enforce them. Legislation often does exist, and many garment-producing nations have good legislation in this regard, or endorse ILO-conventions. The problem is that it isn't enforced properly. A major reason is that many countries where garments and sportswear are produced have incurred high debts. To meet the demands of structural adjustment programs developed by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, they are forced to implement policies that will create an environment that is attractive to foreign investment. Clothing and other light industries (shoes, toys, electronics) are often the first step toward the industrialization of a country and often figure into these restructuring policies.

Incentives for foreign investors include not only low wages, but also the suspension of certain workplace and environmental regulations. If a government does attempt to strictly enforce these regulations, it is likely that many investors will quickly pack their bags for another country that is even less strict and is more accommodating. As a result, all these countries compete against one another based on the lure of their bad working conditions.

But it's also wrong to assume that governments have absolutely no control over foreign investments. And not all companies pack up and leave at the first signs of government regulations. So it is valuable to encourage governments to pressure companies to take responsibility for their labour policies and ensure their compliance. But it's also true that a government's power against (large) companies is limited. Bad working conditions are an international problem that will not be solved on a national level alone.