FEMNET NEWSLETTER No. 3/2018 - July Content: News from our partner organisations Political & campaigns Education & consulting Association reports Tips & dates Support FEMNET FEMNET in the media Disclaimer Dear friends of FEMNET, Just in time for summer, there are exciting developments in the textile industry. Some members of the Textile Alliance are calling on the government of Bangladesh to pay living wages. In addition, the Alliance initiative to improve working conditions in Tamil Nadu (India) is launched. But there is still a lack of transparency among fashion manufacturers, FEMNET confronted Zalando, among others. Meanwhile, our #WerPasstAuf? campaign is gaining momentum - have you already signed the petition? Good news also in the educational and consulting work of FEMNET: Thanks to your support, our crowdfunding has been successful, allowing us to implement 16 new educational events at universities. Do you want to become active for FEMNET yourself? Under Tenders you will find our current job advertisement and links to multiplier training courses for school assignments as well as for the topic of fair public procurement.Have fun reading!The FEMNET team Thank you for your loyalty and support! Photo: © FEMNET News from our partner organisations Kalpona Akter, activist in the fight against gender-based violence against textile workers Portrait as a visionary for a better world. Source: © Brigitte/Rebecca Erken Brigitte magazine conducted a nice interview with the head of our partner organisation BCWS in Bangladesh, Kalpona Akter, and also referred to our planned project with her. It is about fighting gender-based violence in factories by training workers, setting up committees and initiating a dialogue with factory management and buyers. For this we urgently need donations to raise our own share of the financing. Every donation helps: #WhoFits? Petition on the protection of children and mothers in the textile industry Prominent support for #WhoFitsUp?Photos: © Renate Künast / © Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul/ Photo Vario Studio Although seamstresses in India have a right to care for their children during their working hours, German brands are looking beyond the sometimes catastrophic conditions in the factory's own daycare centres and crèches – if there are any at all. Together with our partner organisation CIVIDEP, FEMNET has launched a petition on International Children's Day calling on H&M, Primark, Cecil, C&A and Zalando to act: We want them to cooperate with CIVIDEP to ensure qualified childcare at their suppliers. Please sign our petition! This is how you can support the campaign. Political & campaigns Textile Alliance pushes for higher wages in Bangladesh Demonstration on July 5, 2018. Photo: © NGWF On July 5, our partner organization NGWF (National Garment Worker Federation) demonstrated again at a rally in Dhaka for the long overdue increase in the minimum wage in Bangladesh's garment industry. On the initiative of FEMNET, members of the steering committee of the Textile Alliance - business representatives, the DGB and NGOs - have now Letter to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh BGMEA and demand higher living wages and the right of trade unions to wage bargaining. More information in the full report. OECD complaint against TÜV Rheinland on Rana Plaza test report Social audit by TÜV took too short a time at Rana Plaza. Photo: © FEMNET Before the collapse of the Rana Plaza building, TÜV Rheinland inspected the factory and overlooked fundamental violations. FEMNET, ECCHR and others therefore filed a complaint against TÜV Rheinland with the OECD National Contact Point (NCP) in 2016. During the two-year negotiations we were not allowed to report, but now the case is closed: In the final declaration, the NCP also states to the German Ministry of Economic Affairs that there is ample need for improvement in the inspections (social audits) of the factories. The TÜV was not prepared to reach an agreement. All background information in our press release of 05.07.2018. Textile seal ‘Green Button’ – more appearance than being Step forward or just one more seal among many? Photo: © Campaign for Clean Clothes A roof seal for sustainably produced garments? Sounds nice, but in practice this only has a positive effect on the situation of textile workers with demanding standards and good control systems. However, the proposed seal does not require the entire manufacturing company, nor is it intended to cover the entire supply chain. The Clean Clothes Campaign strongly warns of the danger of dilution: Consumers could be misled. All information in our press release of 28.06.2018. Contract signed for Tamil Nadu Alliance Initiative: On-site activities start on 1 July 2018 Working conditions in spinning mills need to improve. Photo: © FEMNET The Alliance Initiative for the Improvement of Working Conditions in the Textile Industry in Tamil Nadu has officially started: At the beginning of July, the participating members of the Textile Alliance signed the contracts. FEMNET has introduced the initiative, the main implementation partner is our partner organisation SAVE. This has triggered a variety of activities to improve the situation in the spinning mills in South India. Human rights issues at shareholder meetings of Hugo Boss and Zalando Protest before the Hugo Boss Annual General Meeting 2017: Hugo Boss has now revealed his supply chain, but Zalando hasn't. Photo: © FEMNET Gisela Burckhardt confronted the executive floors and shareholders of two major German fashion manufacturers. Hugo Boss has admitted that no complaints were received in her 2017 Proximity Complaints System – apparently it does not serve its purpose. Zalando remains opaque:The Group does not disclose its supply chain, nor does it provide information on childcare in its factories (cf. FEMNET campaign #WhoFits?). ‘Speak nicely, but do nothing or even do the opposite of what you promise’, the TAZ quotes Burckhardt’s objections. 23.05.2018, TAZ, Heike Holdinghausen: Transparency in the textile industry: Allegations against Zalando Business & Human Rights Resource Center (BHRC): Zalando SE comments on criticisms of, inter alia, non-transparent supply chains (Statements of 23.05.-02.07.2018) Education & consulting Two new modules for seminars at universities Training of FEMNET multipliers. Photo: © FEMNET Two new modules expand the subject repertoire for our educational work at universities. The modules “Gender Based Violence at Work in Old and New Textile Production Countries (Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Myanmar)” and “The Sustainable Textiles Alliance as an Example of a Multistakeholder Approach in the Clothing Industry” complement our now 16 thematic modules. During our Training in May The modules have already been tested with the multipliers and are now ready for their use at universities and colleges. There are still places available for training on eco-fair procurement procedures The practical implementation is practiced in the simulation game. Photo: © FEMNET In order to make even more use of eco-fair procurement procedures in the future, FEMNET launched further projects in June. Intensive courses for multipliers. Nationwide, they inform about procurement models and experiences of advanced cities. Procurement lawyer André Siedenberg accompanied the training as a speaker and was impressed by how quickly the step from theory to practice was achieved in the exercises. Among the participants were not only thematically interested but also employees of municipalities. Interested? For the intensive courses in September (basics) and October (building up course) there are still some remaining places. Cologne procures fair: Tender for work shoes successfully completed In the future, eco-fair protective clothing will also be available in Cologne. Photo: ©FEMNET/Tobias Wesseling Protection from dirt, but chic enough for funerals: Work shoes of cemetery employees must meet very special requirements. The city of Cologne, capital of fair trade 2017, follows the Bonn example and has Pilot project on eco-fair procurement successfully completed. In cooperation with FEMNET, it procured 250 pairs of work shoes produced in accordance with social and environmental criteria – and has already published a new call for tenders for eco-fair textiles. Association reports Summer Festival on July 4th Managing directors of local organisations. Photo: © FEMNET Colorful hustle and bustle in the backyard of the FEMNET office: For the first time, the office community of various institutions and NGOs hosted their own summer party at Kaiser-Friedrich-Straße 11-13 in Bonn. Angelica Maria Kappel, mayor of the city of Bonn, was also a guest. Tenders at FEMNET Vacancy notice: Coordinator for Educational and Advisory Projects, Application until 2.9.2018 Training: multipliers for fair public procurement; 07.-08.09.2018 (basic training) & 27-28.10.2018 (reconstruction training)Info & registration Training: Multipliers for school assignments, 28.-29.9.2018, Info & registration Tips & dates 11.09.2018: FairQuatschen - the open FEMNET meeting in Bonn 16.09.2018: Change of clothes in the Ermekeil barracks in Bonn 22.09.2018: Fair fashion show for the fair week on Bonn's Münsterplatz 15.-16.11.2018: FEMNET Conference 2018: "SEWlutions for the future of the garment industry? Human rights and machinery"Programme and registration of the conference Support FEMNET Our work convinces you? We look forward to your support! FEMNET in the media Press review summer 2018 01.06.2018, Textile workers and the EU Southern time, Gisela Burckhardt (print) 01.06.2018, International Children's Day. FEMNET calls on fashion brands to comply with laws on International Children's DayTextile Network by Iris Schlomski 05.06.2018, Civil society members see textile alliance at riskFinances.net 06.06.2018, There has been little progress for four years: Textile alliance soon before the end?Fashion United by Reinhold Köhler 08.06.2018, Criticism of the Textile Alliance and the Green ButtonTextilWirtschaft, Anja Probe 11.06.2018, Ecos fear light green buttontaz, Heike Holdinghausen 13.06.2018, Buxtehude. Women sewing our clothesKreiszeitung weekly newspaper, Alexandra Bisping 18.06.2018, Women's rights are human rightsHalleSpektrum Disclaimer FEMNETKaiser-Friedrich-Str. 1153113 BonnThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.Tel. 0228 18038116 Board of Directors: Dr. Gisela Burckhardt, Vanessa Püllen, Susanne Kupka, Britta Amorinn, Christine Pflüger Editorial team: Katharina Edinger and Dr. Gisela BurckhardtResponsible within the meaning of § 5 TMG: Dr. Gisela Burckhardt Disclaimer: Despite careful content control, we assume no liability. File number VR 9568B at the District Court of Bonn. back
