Stop the violence!

Video message from Kalpona Akther, Managing Director of BCWS and cooperation partner of FEMNET.
Photo © FEMNET ⁇ Ben Böhm

In the new year, FEMNET is campaigning against gender-based violence in the workplace, so that women in the sewing areas can get more rights and assertively demand them. Together with our partner organisations BCWS and SAVE, we are active in Bangladesh and India: We promote the establishment of factory committees and advocate for laws to protect women textile workers.

Please support us in the fight against violence against women.

By the way: In order for us to remain independent, FEMNET does not accept donations from textile companies. If this convinces you and you want to support us, we look forward to your contribution.

All information can be found on the new Project page.

Political & campaigns

ACCORD Bangladesh is coming to an end

Are the factories becoming more insecure? Photo: © Kristof Vadino Clean Clothes Campaign
Despite five years of successful work, the Government of Bangladesh opposes the continued work of ACCORD, the Bangladesh Fire and Building Safety Agreement. The reason: The government is opposed to external control, they prefer to have it in their own hands. However, the structures in Bangladesh are not ready for this, there is a lack of trained engineers and a corruption-free administration to carry out factory checks. This is also the opinion of most purchasing companies that want an extension of the Accord.

The Supreme Court in Bangladesh is now to decide on the whereabouts of the Accord in the country, he has postponed his decision several times, now it is to fall on 21 January 2019... (Article in English).FEMNET and the CCC are calling on German companies and politicians to intervene more clearly! You can find out what companies and politicians can do in our Press release of 26.11.2018 . The CCC informs about

current developments

Proceedings against KiK before the Dortmund Regional Court

European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR). Photo © medico international ⁇ Holger Priedemuth

The decision on the case has been postponed – the outcome is still unclear. However, this process is a historic step: “Saeeda Khatoon has achieved what no one before her has done: Because of their complaint, a German company has to answer to a German court for the production conditions of its Asian subcontractors. She is one of four plaintiffs supported by an NGO for the trial," writes David Ehl in his article, for which he interviewed Gisela Burckhardt. You can read the article for free at Perspective Daily:

“This woman wants to hold KiK accountable”

Tazreen: Six years after the fire disaster with 112 dead and injured

Demonstration by the GBGWF trade union. Photo: © GBGWF

On November 24, 2013, a terrible fire occurred at the Tazreen factory in Bangladesh. This was despite an audit confirming that all fire safety measures had been taken correctly. Tazreen produced for KiK, C&A and others. In Bangladesh, trade unionists commemorate the tragedy on 23 November 2018.

When the fire broke out, the workers were trapped inside the building. Exits were locked and the only way out was through the windows on the upper floors. Over a hundred workers jumped out of the windows on the third and fourth floors and suffered serious back and head injuries, leading to chronic pain in some. After more than three years of negotiations, the victims and their relatives finally received compensation in 2016, but those responsible have not yet been held accountable.

Partnership initiative Tamil Nadu successfully launched, first trainings in factories

Exhausted girls in a spinning mill in Tamil Nadu who sleep during the day because they worked at night. Photo: © FEMNET within the framework of the Textile Alliance. The BI has three components: a) dialogue, b) training of young women in factories c) training of inspectors. On July 1, 2018, the

Alliance Initiative (BI) Tamil Nadu

(PDF file) FEMNET's partner SAVE carries out the training in around 300 spinning mills. More than 150 trainers from 49 NGOs were trained for this purpose. By February 2020, the Alliance Initiative will provide workers in the 300 spinning mills in Tamil Nadu with the necessary knowledge on how to defend themselves against bad treatment and enforce their rights.

Download the factsheet on the Tamil Nadu Alliance Initiative

Civil society in action: Stop the empty promises!

Struggle for the living wage - scene from the action theatre. Photo: © FEMNET Attention was drawn to the fact that five years ago the fashion group had promised to pay fair wages to its premium suppliers by 2018 at the latest. ‘Promise is Promise!’ The Bonn activists loudly participated in the international campaign week ‘Turn Around H&M!’ of the campaign for clean clothing (CCC). With one

Action theater they made in front of a Bonn H&M branch shows all actions of German CCC groups. More than 30 actions took place worldwide. This

Action video So that H&M can get the curve!Sign them

petition

Symposium in Berlin with guests from production countries (including Bangladesh, Bulgaria, India, Indonesia, Cambodia, Myanmar, Turkey and Ukraine). Photo: © FEMNET , where ten experts from production countries discussed with initiatives and company representatives. They demand that promises be finally put into action!Not only towards H&M, but throughout the textile industry, the calls for living wages are growing louder and louder. As part of a multi-day symposium, civil society in the Textile Alliance organised a conference on this topic.

Educational work

Report on the ‘Stop Exploitation’ round trip: Tears, courage and solidarity

Hundreds of students listened to the reports of the activists. Photo © Vanessa Püllen ⁇ FEMNET

For two weeks, activists Kalpona Akther (BCWS, Bangladesh) and Khin Nilar Soe (IWFM, Myanmar) toured all over Germany with Sina Marx from FEMNET. At events for hundreds of students, professional audiences and the general public, they reported on their struggle for better working conditions. .“...you could almost hear a pin fall, so focused and equally moved the approximately 80 students listened to the two activists. [...] A successful event with courageous women, which certainly inspired many students to think.”

Euro-Business-College in Hamburg find it online. Our

Review of the Speakers Tour 2018

SEWlutions: Conference Report and Photo Gallery

Exchange in the market of opportunities. Photo: © Kathrin Brunnhofer ⁇ FEMNET

150 participants from 30 universities throughout Germany from Munich to Kiel: The conference "SEWlutions for the Future of the Clothing Industry? Human Rights and Machinery" at the Rudolf Steiner House in Hamburg was the largest FEMNET conference to date. In addition to the students from fashion and business studies, there were also a gratifying number of lecturers present. The topic ‘How can we make the apparel industry fairer?’ is becoming increasingly popular at universities – unfortunately, we were no longer able to accept around 100 applications.

Our guiding question was discussed in numerous lectures, panel discussions and workshops, especially with regard to the risks and opportunities of increasing automation of production in the Global South. and the video review (coming soon) provide exciting insights – even for those who were not able to attend.The Conference report, the Photogallery , the

Blog post

blogFAIRies wins university competition

Prizewinner Josefine Watzlaw. Photo © FEMNET ⁇ Kathrin Brunnhofer ! She wins the participation in the "Applied Sustainability Bootcamp" of the hessnatur Foundation, where she is supported in the implementation of her idea. Around 70 guests attended the award ceremony on 15.11.2018 as part of the SEWlutions conference in Hamburg. Not an easy decision for the jury: Twelve Promising Business Ideas students had submitted to the higher education competition ‘Let’s Change The Fashion Industry’. We congratulate the award winner Josefine Watzlaw with her project

‘blogFAIRies’ .One

Review with photo gallery is available online

Video clips "Fair Fashion 2030"

Video series for educational work. Photo © FEMNET It's finally done. With vivid drawings, four clips vividly explain what the textile industry of the future could look like. Part 1 deals with the vision of a fair fashion industry in 2030. The second part focuses on how companies can make the vision come true and the third part deals with the options for action by governments. Finally, the 4th Clip, which influence possibilities consumers have. The clips can be used for educational work in consultation with FEMNET. Our series

Fair Fashion 2030 to read. The realization of the films has been realized by the Berlin animation studio "monströös". On our blog there is an interesting interview with

Fair public procurement

More and more cities are embarking on pilot projects

Consumers sample the new shoes at the workshop and inform themselves about the production conditions. Photo © FEMNET available online, detailed reviews will be added shortly. Success stories in Cologne, Stuttgart, Mannheim, Veitsbronn (Bavaria) & Markkleeburg (Saxony): With the ongoing consulting and training offers, FEMNET 2018 succeeded in broadening the topic of eco-fair awarding. Large and smaller municipalities and districts built up expertise and demonstrated with successful pilot projects that public procurement can be made eco-fair. Not only workwear and protective clothing (Cologne), but also shoes (Stuttgart) were purchased. User and strategy workshops helped to convey background knowledge and identify potentials for fair procurement. One

Summary report Do you want to bring fair procurement to your city?

We can support you!

Fair Shopping in Fairtrade Towns: Brochure & workshops

Cover photo of the new brochure. Photo: © FEMNET ⁇ Tobias Wesseling

Municipalities in Fairtrade Towns should use products from socially responsible and ecological production for the procurement of professional clothing and other textiles.

How this works in practice is shown in the new brochure ‘Fair shopping in Fairtrade Towns’, which can be ordered as a PDF and printed version from FEMNET at the beginning of 2019.

The brochure is based on the experience of strategy workshops with Fairtrade Town steering groups 2018. In addition, a nationwide guide to fair public procurement for buyers and policy makers will be published shortly.

Download the brochure

Offers from FEMNET e.V.

Travelling exhibition“ is available for purchase as a poster series. We can arrange speakers for events.The exhibition ‘

I'll make your clothes! The strong women from South East Asia*For schools *

new Working conditions in the textile industry. Trained speakers enrich your school lessons with vivid

Educational events

For universities 16 thematic modules offer various specialisation opportunities for students in fashion, business and teaching. The interactive seminars or project days are carried out by trained speakers. Our material database offers an extensive selection of educational materials and research sources. Visit our project homepage:

www.fairschnitt.org

For active people from administration and fair trade to promote and advise on fair public procurement (basic training September 2019, post-graduate training October 2019). Interested parties can already contact us! Also in 2019 FEMNET offers again

Training for multipliers

For Fairtrade Town control groups We have now published online. Apply now for 2019 for a Free workshop for Fairtrade Towns Fair public procurement. We have successfully implemented five workshops in 2018; one

Tips & dates (Infos to follow) 17 January 2019: FairQuatschen:

Fast Fashion exhibition visit at RJM Cologne (PDF file) Registration deadline: 09.01.2018 25-27 January 2019:

Action Meeting & Multiplier Training of the CCC Germany in Cologne (PDF file) 9 February 2018:

Costume exchange ‘Fair dress you!’ the Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum (RJM) in Cologne Until 24 February 2019: exhibition

FEMNET in the media (Rheinische Werbeblätter) FEMNET organized the fair fashion show in Bonn 04.10.2018,

Fair and chic has a lobby: Fashion show and more at Fair Week (General-Anzeiger Bonn) Closing of the petition on #WerPasstAuf, campaign work continues 10.10.2018,

FEMNET presents petition: Bonn Association denounces working conditions in India“ (taz Ökobiz) FEMNET cooperation with the Cologne School of Journalism on the occasion of the FEMNET conference in Hamburg19.11.2018, ‘

Sustainable clothing: Looking for eco-clothing for the masses (Handelsblatt) inter alia interview with Gisela Burckhardt 25.11.2018,

Bangladesh kicks out inspectors - fashion industry threatens to relapse into old times (NDR Info) Radio interview with Gisela Burckhardt 29.11.2018,

A verdict against KiK would be immensely important (Deutsche Welle) Interview with Gisela Burckhardt 07.12.2018,

exploitation in the fashion industry. The real price for our clothes (Perspective Daily) with quotes by Gisela Burckhardt 13.12.2018,

Support FEMNET

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