FEMNET Newsletter No. 6 - December 2013 Good day, Shortly before the holidays, we will send you our last FEMNET newsletter this year. 2013 was a tragic year for Bangladesh. The collapse of the Rana Plaza building was the biggest disaster in textile history. FEMNET logo Despite the numerous media reports, in which FEMNET was also frequently interviewed, the victims and their families are still waiting for adequate compensation. After all, there is the fire protection agreement, we have come a little further. Thanks to the spontaneous help of many donors, we were able to help some victims in Bangladesh in the first emergency. We will continue our commitment in 2014 and build on you. Greetings from the FEMNET team!We wish you and your family relaxing holidays and all the best for the New Year. : contents News about India Exploitation in Indian spinning mills and sewing factories - Successful tour of 18.11. - 03.12.2013 Otto and Ernsting’s Family: Their suppliers source yarn from a spinning mill where women worked under Sumangali Current call for donations: Young women in the Indian textile industry need your support The Right Way - Looking Back at Five and a Half Months of India News about Bangladesh and the Clean Clothes Campaign The results of the negotiations on compensation for the victims of Bangladesh's textile factories are disappointing Campaign NEXT DRIVING MORE. EXISTENZLOHN FOR ALL! started News from the association Eco-fair shopping brochure for Bonn published Video strategy seminar for NGOs in Hamburg: Active wanted for FEMNET video Changing lifestyles and exerting political pressure FEMNET Offers Eco-Fair Cotton Fabric Bags Post from: Armenia appointments Disclaimer News about India Exploitation in Indian spinning mills and sewing factories – From 18.11. to 03.12.2013, FEMNET e.V. held a nationwide lecture and information tour on the topic of "Exploitation in spinning mills and sewing factories in India". Stations of the trip were 12 cities and eight fashion-related universities throughout Germany. As speakers, Anita Cheria and Maheshwari Murugan were able to win long-time employees from non-governmental organizations in Bangalore and Tamil Nadu. They have reported first-hand on the topic at public evening events and at universities. Sumangali Report on the lectures at the (fashion) universities Report on the evening events Photos of the various events Background information about the tour FEMNET had a research carried out in Tamil Nadu. Based on export statistics, we found that Otto and Ernsting’s Family source goods from suppliers who receive their yarn from the Bannari Amman spinning mill. There, young women suffer from the Sumangali system (see our currentOtto and Ernsting’s Family: Their suppliers source yarn from a spinning mill where women worked under Sumangali ). We have confronted both companies with these research results (Call for donations ). Both companies then refer to their membership in the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI), which is carrying out a project against Sumangali. However, FEMNET found that there has been no new information about the project for 1.5 years and our local partners complain that nothing is happening. Current call for donations: Young women in the Indian textile industry need your support Maheshwari Murugan (right) with former Sumangali victims. Photo: Gisela Burckhardt, 2013 During the FEMNET round trip, Anita Cheria and Maheswari Murugan reported on the inhumane working and living conditions of the young women in the Indian spinning mills. The two women work for the grassroots organization READ in Tamil Nadu and Munnade in Bangalore. These organisations support the textile workers in their struggle for their rights. Both organizations urgently need donations to continue their work. With the Solidarity Fund, FEMNET offers the possibility to forward the donations directly. We are therefore very pleased if you donate to the fund with the keyword 'India'. Read our current call for donations... The Right Way - Looking Back at Five and a Half Months of India Theresa Utecht studies textile and clothing management at Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences. For her, FEMNET e.V. has established contact with two Indian organizations and thus provided her with an internship. She was in India from the beginning of March to the end of August 2013 and described her impressions and experiences to us. Read Theresa's review of her time in India... On November 24, 2013, the fire in the News about Bangladesh and the Clean Clothes Campaign in Bangladesh, where 112 people, mainly women, died a year ago. Up to 300 people were partially seriously injured. Relatives and survivors are still waiting for adequate compensation one year after the disaster. German companies are not responding adequately to the demands of trade unions and labour law organisations. Tazreen factory Protest action by affected relatives and orphans In September 2013 there was a meeting convened by the international trade union umbrella organisation IndustriALL for all companies affected by the accidents at Tazreen and were affected. Only nine out of 28 companies have even appeared. A committee has been set up that has adopted a framework agreement for the payment of compensation to the survivors of the victims of Rana Plaza and Tazreen. However, only a few companies such as Primark, Loblaw, Bonmarché and El Corte Inglés have signed this agreement so far. However, not the German companies KiK, NKD, Adler, Güldenpfenning, Kids for Fashion and also not the world's largest US retailer Walmart have signed. Rana Plaza More information about Tazreen on the Clean Clothes Campaign websiteDetailed report on Rana Plaza on the Clean Clothes Campaign website FEMNET support for those affected FEMNET e.V. handed over a donation of 5000,- Euro to the union NGWF supported by us in July 2013 NEXT DRIVING MORE. EXISTENZLOHN FOR EVERYONE! 2013-12-11 Button Living-Wage A Europe-wide week of action, which took place at the end of October, kicked off the three-year campaign for a living wage from the Clean Clothes Campaign. It includes research in Asia and Eastern Europe and draws attention to hunger wages in the clothing industry with numerous actions. More than 50 companies were also contacted and asked to complete a questionnaire. FEMNET participated and wrote to discounters Ali, Lidl, KiK and Takko. The results will be published in 2014. More than 13,000 people have already campaigned against hunger wages and for fair pay for workers in global textile factories. A call on the Internet was followed by many people, also the magazine Brigitte reported about it. Activists of the Clean Clothes Campaign handed over the signatures to the Textile and Fashion Association on October 22, 2013. FEMNET supported and will continue to support the Wage to Life campaign during the tour of the Indian guests. Further information: News from the association Title of the purchase brochure(PDF file) in the Old Town Hall of the City of Bonn. It is an up-to-date and attractive guide to find through the seal jungle and to buy eco-fair clothing in Bonn. For five months, a survey was conducted in over 260 Bonn fashion stores by a group of volunteers - about 15 people aged 13 to 70. They explored whether and which fair and/or ecological garments are kept in the individual shops.On 09.12.2013 FEMNET e.V. together with the Lord Mayor of the City of Bonn presented the new brochure Eco-fair shopping brochure for Bonn published ‘ “ Fair, fair, fair are all my clothes – fair and organic fashion in Bonn Read more about the brochure, its findings and the interesting presentation event... Video strategy seminar for NGOs in Hamburg: Active wanted for FEMNET video On November 5, 2013, a video strategy seminar for non-governmental organizations took place in Hamburg, in which Franziska Gorgas participated as a FEMNET member. She got to know the new feature of YouTube, which allows the possibility of a direct donation via a video shown on YouTube with just a few steps. Franziska Gorkas now has the idea to use this function for FEMNET e.V. as well. The first film ideas already exist. Read more... Changing lifestyles and exerting political pressure Read more... FEMNET Offers Eco-Fair Cotton Fabric Bags FEMNET cotton bag Regina Weidental, a fashion design student at Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences, designed the motif for the eco-fair bag from FEMNET. The bag is very popular! We thank you for this great support. It bears the following seals: Fairtrade = farmers received a fair wage for harvesting the cotton and processing it in a weaving mill in India (Zameen Project and Alok Industries) GOTS: Global Organic Textile Standard: the seal stands for organic cotton and a high ecological standard The printing was carried out in Germany by the GOTS-certified textile printing company Mayer. Of course, the cost of such a bag is higher than with conventional fabric bags. They are around 4.00 euros per piece. The bag will be available from January 2014 at the FEMNET office and at our events. Post from: Armenia FEMNET member Dr. Melanie Krebs reports on everyday encounters and anecdotes from Armenia. She lives there temporarily. “It is an old recognition that even after years of work in a region, you can still be completely surprised. I had such a moment the other day in an interview with a representative of an Armenian NGO. It was actually about the rights of minorities, when the friendly young man casually said ‘... and then all the abortions of girls... we are now ahead of China’. Read more... CCC Action Meeting 2014: Invitation for 07.-08.02.2014 to Hattingen As last year, the action meeting brings together activists and interested parties of the campaign for clean clothing (CCC). The focus is on the exchange of experience and the development of actions and strategies for the coming months. The theme of the 2014 meeting is 'Precarious is not fair - inhumane working conditions in the global apparel industry'. The deadline for registration is 20.01.2014. 2013-12-14Action meeting tumbnail1Download the PDF flyer...DisclaimerFEMNET e.V.Feminist Perspectives on Politics, Economy and Society Heidebergenstr. 1453229 BonnTel. +49 (0)228-94499682 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. back
