© FEMNET Partnership Initiative to Expand the Dindigul Agreement: Working Together to Combat Gender-Based Violence in the Textile Industry The textile industry in India is facing enormous structural challenges, especially when it comes to women's working conditions. Despite numerous legal changes and promising programs, working conditions for female employees remain problematic. In particular, sexual abuse and harassment at the workplace and on the way to work are still commonplace. The Dindigul Agreement, the expansion of which FEMNET supports as part of an alliance initiative, aims to change this. Dindigul Agreement The so-called Dindigul Agreement represents a lighthouse project in the fight against gender-based violence. It was signed in 2022 by the Dalit women's union TTCU (Tamil Nadu Textile and Common Labor Union), the supplier Eastman Exports, international companies and civil society organizations in the state of Tamil Nadu in India. The agreement is an enforceable brand agreement (EBA) and consists of two interlocking treaties, both of which are legally binding. The first is between TTCU and supplier Eastman Exports: these two parties have contractually committed to ending gender-based violence and harassment at all participating Eastman facilities in the Dindigul region – factories, dormitories, spinning mills, printing plants and training centers. The second is a contract between TTCU, the Asia Floorwage Alliance (AFWA) and the US NGO Global Labor Justice - International Labor Rights Forum (GLJ-ILRF) on the one hand and the companies H&M, GAP and PVH on the other. This agreement obliges the signatory companies to support and enforce the TTCU-Eastman agreement and to impose business consequences on their supplier Eastman if they do not comply with it. The Dindigul Agreement in a nutshell: Trade union rights and participation: The agreement strengthens the rights of trade unions and promotes their active participation in the design and implementation of labour standards in factories. Establishment of grievance mechanisms: It establishes the creation of effective mechanisms for reporting abuse and harassment in the workplace, along the lines of the AFWA Safe Circles Approach, including the establishment of internal grievance committees (ICC). Regular training: The TTCU union will be given access to the factory premises to train all managers, supervisors and workers on training on gender-based violence and harassment and their rights and responsibilities under the Dindigul Agreement. Participation takes place during normal working hours with full payment. Involvement of Dalit women: It attaches great importance to bringing women from the lowest caste Dalit, who are particularly affected by discrimination, into leadership positions and to offer them the same opportunities as women from other castes. Brand commitment: Participating companies commit to supporting the agreement and ensuring that their suppliers comply with the agreed standards. Partnership Initiative to Expand the Dindigul Agreement As part of an alliance initiative "Advancing Worker-Led Agreements on Gender Justice" of the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles, FEMNET is involved in the expansion of the Dindigul Agreement. Together with the project partners TTCU, AFWA, GLJ-ILRF and with the support of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, we are working to extend the Dindigul Agreement to other companies and production sites. Our goal is to end gender-based violence and harassment and to combat discriminatory practices in other participating factories. With the aim of attracting at least one, ideally two, Textiles Partnership companies to sign a similar agreement, we are carrying out the following: Activities and measures Mobilising other companies: We organise webinars and hold bilateral discussions with (Textiles Partnership) companies to promote the importance of unhindered access for trade unions such as TTCU and the signing of binding agreements based on the model of the Dindigul Agreement and to convince companies to sign them. Drafting and signing another legally binding agreement: Together with the partner organisations, FEMNET drafts a proto-agreement that adapts the principles of the Dindigul Agreement to the German and European context (such as the Supply Chain Act). This agreement is to be signed by at least one company of the Textiles Partnership and the agreement is to be extended as a result. Awareness raising and support: We raise awareness among NGOs, multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs) and the general public about the Dindigul Agreement and the successes it has achieved so far in addressing gender-based violence in Indian garment factories through strategic meetings in India, webinars and other outreach. At a glance - Topic: Tackling gender-based violence in the workplace- Land: India- Runtime:October 2023 – February 2025- Partner organisations: FEMNET AFWA, India Tamil Nadu Textile and Common Labour Union (TTCU), India - Project Leader: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH- Project Leader:ProjektleitungLuise Tegeler, FEMNET- DownloadsProgress: One year Dindigul Agreement (PDF) Further informations 08. Mai 2024 Legally binding trademark agreements – the solution to the problem? 15. April 2024 Delegation trip to India: Focus on gender equality, rights holders and workers' rights in the textile sector 18. Juli 2023Women workers transform factories in Tamil Nadu in the fight against gender-based violence The actors The Partnership Initiative is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). In the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles, business, civil society and the German government are working together to make conditions in textile supply chains more socially just and environmentally friendly. In addition to their individual activities and commitments, the members are involved in joint projects in the production countries. back
