contents:

1. Reports from our partners from India and Bangladesh

• Call for donations for our Solidarity Fund
• Reports of the interns at Munnade/CIVIDEP in India
  

2. Campaign work within the framework of the CCC (Campaign for Clean Clothes)

• Compensation for the victims of Tazreen and their families in Bangladesh
  
• Book 'Todschick' by Gisela Burckhardt published
• Alliance initiative from the Ministry of Development Aid BMZ
• Factsheet "Fire in the Tazreen Factory - An Example of the Failure of Voluntary Measures" published

3. Work of our educational project "FairSchnitt - Studying for a socially just fashion industry"

• Conference in Berlin
• New FEMNET exhibition 'I'll make your clothes!'Internship at FairSchnitt
  • Panel discussion and exhibition opening in Bonn
  • Exhibition opening in Cologne

4. More activities by FEMNET

• FEMNET regulars' tables in Bonn and Berlin
  
• FEMNET in the media

appointments

Disclaimer

1. Reports from our partners from India and Bangladesh

Call for donations for our Solidarity Fund

Shoba from India was not only raped by her father-in-law, but also beaten by her husband. When he beat her once again to hospital, she sought help from Munnade, a partner organization of FEMNET. The employees support and advise women such as Shoba on domestic problems. In addition, the organisation offers training and seminars for women and organises meetings, demonstrations and campaigns on topics such as minimum wages for seamstresses, harassment in the workplace and childcare in the factories. The local activists need your help.

With your donation to the Solidarity FundHelp the seamstresses in India and Bangladesh directly. The Fund supports measures for legal assistance, education and advice as well as important public relations work against inhumane working conditions.

• Further information can be found in our call for donations
  

Reports of the interns at Munnade/CIVIDEP in India

Following the internship of FEMNET member Larissa Aldehoff, the since May 2014 for four months an internship with our partner organisation Munnade Regina Weidentaler is currently working in India. Regina works for the organization CIVIDEP in Bangalore, India, which is committed to better working conditions for workers and more responsibility on the part of textile companies.

Both practitioners report in vivid descriptions of their impressions and the committed work of the women on site. FEMNET has established the contact for the internships.

• Read the reports of Larissa and Regina

2. Campaign work within the framework of the CCC (Campaign for Clean Clothes)

Compensation for the victims of Tazreen and their families in Bangladesh

On 24.11.2014, for the second time, the fire disaster in the textile factory Tazreen in Bangladesh, in which more than 120 workers died and 150 were injured, was partly severe.

At the last minute, an agreement was reached in November 2014 between the Clean Clothes Campaign, the international trade union umbrella organisation IndustriAll and C&A, whereby C&A agrees to pay compensation to the victims and survivors of the fire. In particular, FEMNET accuses the German buyer KiK of a serious breach of its precautionary obligation.

• Read the full article on the FEMNET website

Book 'Todschick' by Gisela Burckhardt published

It is a fatal error: When we buy branded fashion, we believe that the higher price is justified by better quality – also in terms of production conditions. No textile workers in Bangladesh will die for the precious stamps ... Wrong!

Expensive fashion labels have their goods manufactured under the same pathetic conditions as textile discounters. Most importantly, cheap, even if it costs lives. The book, written by Gisela Burckhardt, about the clothing industry after ‘Rana Plaza’ and the dark secret of noble fashion brands, can be ordered from FEMNET.

• Order now....

Alliance initiative from the Ministry of Development Aid BMZ

• To the report...

Factsheet "Fire in the Tazreen Factory - An Example of the Failure of Voluntary Measures" published

In this compact fact sheet published by the CorA network, Gisela Burckhardt illustrates what measures the Federal Government would have to take to implement the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in order to prevent such serious human rights violations from taking place in the textile industry.

• Download the Fact Sheet (PDF file)

3. From the work of our project "FairSchnitt - Studying for a socially just fashion industry"

Conference 'Slow Fashion - Fast Fashion'

On 30 and 31 October, FEMNET e.V. welcomed more than 100 students and teachers from 23 fashion-related universities from all over Germany to the conference 'Slow Fashion - Fast Fashion'. The betahaus in Berlin held panel discussions with representatives from industry (Tchibo, C&A, hessnatur, HDE, BDI) and trade unions (ver.di) on these two days and five workshops with different topics. The 'Project Parcours' offered six student groups the opportunity to present their own work on the topic of 'Slow Fashion - Fast Fashion' and during the evening 'City Tour', local studios and stores opened their doors to the participants of the conference and provided insights behind the scenes of Berlin's eco-social fashion world.

• Further information, photos and conference documentation

New exhibition “I'll make your clothes! The strong women from South East Asia" – Nine portraits of seamstresses from Bangladesh and Cambodia

The exhibition was created by the Dutch Clean Clothes Campaign. A professional photographer interviewed and photographed individual leading trade unionists to show that the textile workers are not only victims but also strong. The exhibition consists of eleven panels that tell the personal story of strong women in Bangladesh and Cambodia, most of them trade unionists, as well as two panels with background information. FEMNET has taken over, translated and revised the exhibition. It is supplemented by a brochure about the exhibition and a video clip. The exhibition can now be borrowed from us.

• Details about the exhibition and the loan

Panel discussion “Dresses make (poor) people? Not with us! Strong women in retail and textiles’

On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, FEMNET, together with UN Women and with the support of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, hosted a high-profile panel discussion in Bonn on 26 November 2014.

Around 100 visitors were then able to witness the opening of the exhibition.

• To the event report...

Exhibition presentation in Cologne

As early as 3 December 2014, the exhibition “I make your clothes!” in Cologne was once again presented to an interested audience. RTL presenter Janine Steeger was a guest. She spoke to about 40 interested people about her personal commitment to the daily consumption of clothing and asked questions to Laura Bresson, works councillor at H&M Wiesbaden and Dr. Gisela Burckhardt, CEO of FEMNET. The event was accompanied musically by the jazz acoustic duo Sarah Tsehaye and Patrick Heyer.

• To the event report...

Internship at FairSchnitt

Our two interns Barbara Brunner and Lieke basin We have been working on the FairSchnitt project for about four months. Without their active support, we would not have been able to carry out the numerous activities.

We thank them very much for their strong commitment!

• The report of Barbara Brunner
• The report of Lieke basin

4. More activities by FEMNET

Regular meetings in Bonn and Berlin: Fair chat

The Stammtisch in Bonn Fair quatschen They meet regularly at every 2nd. Tuesday of the month.

In Berlin there is also a FEMNET regular table It was founded and mainly brings together students from fashion design courses. It is held regularly on the 3rd. Thursday of the month.

FEMNET in the media

Articles and press releases published by FEMNET on our association activities as well as topics and events have been published in various media. An up-to-date overview of the reporting of recent months can be found on the FEMNET homepage.

Here is a selection:

08.12.2014:
WDR Könnes fights: Phenomenon Primark – A low-cost supplier changing the fashion market – interview with Gisela Burckhardt

29.11.2014:
Bonner General-Anzeiger: "Actually it is forced labour" - Gisela Burckhardt on her book TODSCHICK

28.11.2014:
Bonner Generalanzeiger: Addressing the throw-away mentality – Panel discussion with Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul and Gisela Burckhardt, among others

26.11.2014:
GERMAN NEWS 24: Every single woman needs to be changed for empowerment

17.11.2014:
Interview with Gisela Burckhardt about Bangladesh and her new book

04.11.2014:
‘SLOW FASHION – FAST FASHION’ – blog post on the Fairschnitt conference in Berlin

24.10.2014:
ARD panorama: 18 months after the Rana Plaza disaster

22.10.2014:
Ms. TV: Expert interview with Gisela Burckhardt

16.10.2014:
Müller announces voluntary textile alliance - FEMNET is a founding member

Dates 2015

Further dates can be found on the FEMNET homepage

Disclaimer

FEMNET e.V.
Feminist Perspectives on Politics, Economy and Society
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Tel. 0228 18038116

Board of Directors: Dr. Gisela Burckhardt, Franziska Gorgas, Janina Hotze, Christiane Kühnrich, Michaela Reithinger
Editorial and responsible within the meaning of § 5 TMG: Dr. Gisela Burckhardt
Disclaimer: Despite careful content control, we assume no liability.

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