On 15 September 2020, FEMNET, together with three activists from India and Bangladesh, held a webinar on the current situation on the ground. They reported easing labour laws in India, increasing child labour and gender-based violence in factories, and fatal contract systems. With their work, they currently support those affected directly with food, but also legal advice. The situation is very serious, but the activists are fighting.
© Initiative Supply Chain Act
Bonn/Berlin. Apparently, there will again be no agreement in the cabinet today on the supply chain law promised in the coalition agreement. Non-governmental organizations in the Textile Alliance warn against dilution. A supply chain law must not be limited to large companies. A supply chain law must legally oblige all companies to respect human rights and environmental standards in their supply chain and enable victims to be compensated in German courts.
© Initiative Supply Chain Act
Activists of the Supply Chain Act initiative demonstrated today in Berlin. The meeting for a supply chain law has been postponed again. The demonstrators set up an oversized legal framework and symbolically handed over a petition with more than 222,222 signatures to the Federal Chancellery. Together with the alliance of more than 100 civil society organisations, FEMNET is calling for the law to no longer be postponed.
© NGWS
Nazma Akter has been working in a textile factory in Dhaka for five years. After severe pay cuts at the start of the lockdown, she and her family have to live without a salary for two months. Like many other textile workers in Bangladesh, Nazma relies on food donations, which we support with our Corona Emergency Fund.
In the new edition Sustainable economy forum 03/2020, our FAIR WEAR WORKS project manager Marijke Mulder shows in an interview how responsible textile purchasing can become an easy-to-implement component within the company's own supply chain.
The key points for a supply chain law announced for the end of August are being delayed. The reason for this is the continued blockade of Minister of Economic Affairs Peter Altmaier, who is trying to prevent a legal duty of care for companies. An alliance of 100 organizations is calling for an end to this blockade.
© FEMNET
Gender power gaps in the textile industry continue to widen during the coronavirus crisis. FEMNET and our partner organization BCWS in Bangladesh are committed to ending violence against women and support those affected with targeted remedies during the corona crisis.
The range of wage losses for millions of textile workers in the face of cancelled orders and collective redundancies is shown in a recently published report by the Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC). Although the figures are based only on rough calculations, they give an indication of the sums that would be needed to provide for the workers.
Since spring 2020, we have come much closer to a supply chain law. Federal Ministers Heil and Müller have announced that they will present a law. The chancellor and more and more German companies are in favour of this step. However, there is resistance. Minister Altmeier opposes the project in order to protect companies. As part of the Supply Chain Act initiative, we therefore call for joint protest action against this blockade.
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Women and girls are particularly affected by the negative effects of global economies. They are paid less than their male counterparts and experience sexualised violence and harassment in the workplace. In August, the Federal Ministers plan to adopt cornerstones for a supply chain law in the Cabinet. Together with an alliance of 12 human rights and development organisations, we are calling for more gender equality in global supply chains.
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According to Johns Hopkins University, India now ranks third worldwide after the United States and Brazil. Job in the corona cases and deaths.Always many seamstresses are particularly affected due to the corona crisis. Existential threats, child labour and sexual exploitation are on the rise. Our local partners support workers in paying their bills and provide them with basic food. With the Corona Emergency Aid Fund, we are making an important contribution to this.
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Many large export factories in Bangladesh are producing again. However, the overall capacity utilisation has not yet been reached and many seamstresses remain without work. At the same time, under the pretext of the corona crisis, labour rights are curtailed and trade unionists are dismissed.
