Foto: © FEMNET 15 April 2024 Delegation trip to India: Focus on gender equality, rights holders and workers' rights in the textile sector At the beginning of December 2023, FEMNET was part of a delegation trip to India. The trip was dominated by important topics such as gender equality, rights holders and workers' rights in the textile industry. This mission was carried out as part of the German government's sector project on 'Social and Ecological Transformation of Textile Supply Chains', which is responsible for the Green Button, the Siegelklarheit initiative and the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles. Together with representatives of the German Embassy in Delhi, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), representatives of two German companies and the civil society organisation INKOTA Network, FEMNET travelled to various textile centres in southern India. The wide range of stakeholders travelling with us illustrates the diversity and holistic approach of our efforts for a sustainable future. Visiting supplier factories, exchanging views on key issues such as gender equality, grievance mechanisms and organic cotton, ensuring the involvement of rights holders in various aspects were just some of the goals the delegation had set itself. Project leader Luise Tegeler and FEMNET consultant Lavinia Muth have summarized findings and results in the following report (please click here) "Our journey began in Delhi, the bustling capital of India, where we met with key organisations such as the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and institutions such as the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce to discuss the situation in the Indian textile industry. The city's vibrant energy, combined with its enormous population of 32.9 million people, added a sense of urgency to our discussions. After three days in the (smog-plagued) metropolis, we continued our journey to the south of the country, to the textile center around Coimbatore and Tirrupur in the state of Tamil Nadu. In Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, an important visit awaited us to the Natchi Apparels textile factory, which plays a central role in the fight against gender discrimination and violence in the workplace as a signatory of the Dindigul Agreement. Here we not only gained an insight into the working conditions, but also into the remarkable dynamic between factory management, workers and the local Dalit women's union TTCU (Tamil Nadu Textile and Common Labor Union), which is based on the innovative and promising Dindigul Agreement. Thivya Rakini, TTCU. © FEMNET A highlight of the trip was the moving visit to TTCU's office in Dindigul. There, union leader Thivya Rakini told us the moving founding story of the union, described the rocky road to the Dindigul Agreement and drew our attention to the challenges that women face not only in the workplace in the textile industry, but also in daily life and in leadership positions. Following the visit to the union, the participants of the expert delegation were invited to a community event in Dindigul, which had been organised by TTCU. At this meeting, the rights holders (since TTCU is a women-only union, only women took part in the event) shared their perspectives on the Dindigul Agreement but also on the trade union work and the resulting successes and improvements, and addressed questions to the German tour participants. This led to an interactive exchange. TTCU, together with Global Labor Justice-International Labor Rights Forum and Asia Floor Wage Alliance, signed the historic Dindigul Agreement in 2022 to combat violence and harassment in the workplace. The Dindigul Agreement is an enforceable brand agreement (EBA) that is groundbreaking for the textile industry and beyond because it does not only rely on voluntary commitments by individual actors in supply chains. It consists of two interlocking contracts, both of which are legally binding. The first agreement was between TTCU and supplier Eastman Exports: these two parties have contractually committed to ending gender-based violence and harassment at all Eastman facilities – factories, dormitories, spinning mills, printing plants and training centers – in the Dindigul region. In addition, TTCU, the Asia Floorwage Alliance (AFWA) and the US group Global Labor Justice - International Labor Rights Forum (GLJ-ILRF) on the one hand and the companies H&M, GAP and PVH (owners of Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger) on the other have signed another contract. 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 first progress report of the first anniversary of the agreement already shows that the Dindigul Agreement is effective and has actively improved the situation of workers in the participating factories. The agreement is therefore also supported by the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles. The partnership initiative "Worker-led Gender Justice – Scaling up the Dindigul Agreement", launched in October 2023, in which FEMNET is also significantly involved, is based on the model of the Dindigul Agreement. She is committed to ensuring that other fashion brands and their suppliers conclude such agreements in order to contribute to a positive change in working conditions, especially with regard to gender-based violence in the textile sector in India. Besuch bei Natchi Apparels Eastman Exports. © FEMNET Especially against this background, the visit to Natchi Apparels (Eastman) and TTCU were particularly important key moments of the trip, in which all participants were able to learn from the experiences of the stakeholders around the Dindigul Agreement and convince themselves of the successes already achieved, such as the establishment of a Shop Floor Monitor System or an Internal Complaint Committee staffed exclusively by women - direct functioning complaint mechanisms at factory level. FEMNET was able to continue to use the time on site to deepen cooperation with the actors on the Indian side and to plan next project goals and steps. The delegation trip ended with a diverse stakeholder dialogue on gender equality in Coimbatore, where representatives from different sectors came together to discuss the pressing issues of women's empowerment and rights holders in the textile industry. Participants stressed the importance of increased cooperation between companies, suppliers, trade unions and civil society to achieve gender equality and improved working conditions. Despite existing laws and initiatives, structural and societal barriers have been identified that make it difficult for women to access middle and management positions. It was agreed to intensify exchange and cooperation in order to achieve more together and promote gender equality in the textile industry. Our discussions and encounters have shown that this path is not easy, but it is crucial for the sustainable and equitable development of the textile industry in India and globally." The conclusion of the trip is consistently positive. With new local partners, including the Tamil Nadu Textile and Common Labour Union (TTCU), the foundation for future cooperation was laid. Meetings and stakeholder dialogue provided a platform for exchange on key topics such as gender equality, grievance mechanisms and also organic cotton. The discussions provided valuable ideas and insights that can be used for future PST initiatives. The visit to the supplier factories, especially at Natchi Apparels/Eastman Exports, created an even better understanding of the local working conditions, problems and challenges. These direct insights are crucial for developing sustainable solutions. The involvement of rights holders was a core element of the trip. The numerous meetings and exchanges with local trade unions and non-governmental organisations such as Asia Floor Wage Alliance and TTCU show that the diverse perspectives of rights holders are heard and that rights holders themselves must be actively involved in projects on the ground. During the trip, new project ideas were discussed, especially related to the Dindigul Agreement and the promotion of gender equality in the workplace. These ideas can be implemented in future initiatives to bring about further positive change. The extremely productive trip once again made it clear that the focus on the effects of international legislation such as the German and European Supply Chain Act and the participation of all relevant stakeholders must be maintained in the future. This is the only way to ensure a comprehensive approach to promoting sustainability and fairness in the textile industry.
