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Accord campaign 2018. Photo: © CCCVideo of the current campaign. © CCCFive years ago, the catastrophic factory collapse of Rana Plaza killed 1,134 workers. In order to further improve the security situation in Bangladesh's textile factories, the agreement on fire protection and building safety in Bangladesh is now being extended. The women's rights organization FEMNET calls on all Bangladeshi-producing fashion and textile companies to participate in this new contract.

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Employees of the Bonn Green Space Office sample the potential goods of the new framework contract. High-quality clothing and protective equipment is the basis of good work! Photo: © FEMNETEmployees of the Bonn Green Space Office sample the potential goods of the new framework contract. High-quality clothing and protective equipment is the basis of good work! Photo: © FEMNETTwo years after the first fair tender for the Service and protective clothing of the municipal employees of the Bonn Office for Urban GreeneryThe procedure is established. For example, cut-resistant trousers, forest jackets and winter vests were purchased – but also forest boots and work gloves. For the 19 lots, there were at least 4 valuable offers almost everywhere, which had to be evaluated shortly before Easter according to quality, workmanship and equipment.

From the first experience (described in the Brochure step by step (PDF file)) lessons have been learned. In addition to the criteria use value (30%) and price (40%), social criteria went into the race for the award with 30%. Tenderers who wanted to be considered positively in the tender for socially fair production conditions had to attach concrete evidence to their tenders. This was made possible by a graduated tenderer's declaration on the control of the ILO core labour standards. The more measures bidders were able to demonstrate for credible monitoring of ILO notched labour standards, the more points they were able to score.

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Düsseldorf. The State Parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia has removed the obligation to provide evidence of compliance with international labour rights and environmental standards from the Tariff Adherence and Public Procurement Act (TVgG) of North Rhine-Westphalia. The amendment to the law abolishes a uniform national regulation that also aligns public procurement with human rights and environmental standards. Municipalities and provincial contracting authorities can still voluntarily request proof that labour rights and environmental standards have been complied with in the production of, for example, workwear. However, each municipality now has to develop its own regulation for sustainable procurement.

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Demonstration on 10.03.2018. Photo: © Garment Labour Union (GLU), BangaloreDemonstration on 10.03.2018. Photo: © Garment Labour Union (GLU), BangaloreAround 350 textile workers gathered in Bangalore (India) on the occasion of International Women's Day (8 March) for a peaceful protest to demonstrate for human and, above all, women's rights in the workplace. With candles in their hands, they formed a human chain and demanded the end of sexual violence in the workplace. However, other labour rights violations were also denounced: Low wages, constant pressure from prerogatives, harassment, lack of implementation of statutory childcare for workers and the obstruction of union work are some of the most common problems women face in factories.

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Impulses for Fair Public Procurement at the Berlin Academy of Administration. Photo: © FEMNETImpulses for Fair Public Procurement at the Berlin Academy of Administration. Photo: © FEMNETHuman rights and environmental standards are violated on a daily basis in the globalised production of goods – goods that are also purchased by the public sector. For this reason, the European and German legislators have stipulated that ecological and social criteria may or should play a major role in public procurement. How the requirements for staff in the administration have changed over the years and what the current state of public procurement law provides for was a topic in our lectures in the context of the training course ‘Grundlagen des Vergabewesens’ at the Verwaltungsakademie Berlin. However, the questions of ‘how’ were particularly exciting for the participants. The approximately 20 employees from the civil service of the districts and the state of Berlin were informed about the possibilities of using ‘quality marks’ such as the seals of fair trade. In model projects, numerous possibilities have also been developed, which we were at least able to tackle.

The two lectures were given by FEMNET employee Anne Neumann on the initiative of the Berlin promoter for municipal development policy Michael Jopp in the course of Thomas Griewald.

Our lectures and workshops can be offered free of charge at all training and further education facilities for public service employees who are involved in outreach. Information can be found in our flyer (PDF file).

Feedback on the event:

‘Fair awarding is proper awarding, is economic award - cost-effectiveness in a comprehensive sense. Deliveries and services may only be awarded by skilled and knowledgeable staff.

Due to the increasing demands on the administration - both in terms of content and quantity - and the central contracting authorities, which are not yet widespread everywhere, employees must be able to deal with the extensive requirements of public procurement law.

The methods and experience of other contracting authorities presented by the speakers are very helpful in this regard.”

Thomas Griewald,
Lecturer for basics of public procurement at the Berlin Academy of Administration

The #metoo movement makes it clear: Gender-based violence in the workplace is part of the daily lives of many women workers. On the occasion of International Women's Day, FEMNET calls for solidarity with seamstresses in South Asia.

Worldwide, more than a third of all women, i.e. over 800 million, suffer from violence in the workplace. Women in low-paid and insecure employment are particularly at risk, as is still the case in the global textile industry today. In India and Bangladesh alone, more than 60 percent of workers in textile factories are affected. They are pulled by the guards' hair, harassed, insulted, sexually harassed, and often even raped. There is also enormous pressure on women: Thus, if they do not meet their targets, they often have to work unpaid overtime.

To support these women in India and Bangladesh, FEMNET has Mutual legal assistance fund It helps them to assert their rights.

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FEMNET supports the campaign for the signing of an ILO convention against gender-based violence in the workplace, which starts on 14 February 2018. The campaign runs until Women's Day on March 8. While the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), adopted by the UN in 1979, does not yet have an international law requiring action against gender-based violence in the workplace.

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Signatures handed over to Primark in Bonn on 03.02.2018. Photo: ©FEMNET e.V.Signatures handed over to Primark in Bonn on 03.02.2018. Photo:© FEMNET e.V.70,000 people ask Armani and Primark to reveal where they have their clothes made

On February 3, 2018, FEMNET together with other activists handed over a golden gift box with 70,000 signatures to the low-cost manufacturer Primark in its branch in Cologne. We pointed out that Primark should be transparent about its supply chain and disclose the names of its suppliers. There were also actions in other cities in Germany, Europe and even Hong Kong.

This action was a complete success! On February 7, 2018, three working days after our promotion, Primark published its supplier list. We note: Public pressure is working! Thank you to all who have supported us in this.

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Signatures handed over to Primark in Bonn on 03.02.2018. Photo:© FEMNET e.V.Signatures handed over to Primark in Bonn on 03.02.2018.
Photo:© FEMNET e.V.70,000 people ask Armani and Primark to reveal where they have their clothes made

On Saturday 3 February 2018 at 5 pm, activists of the campaign for clean clothing, including representatives of the Bonn-based women's rights association FEMNET, will hand over a golden gift box with 70,000 signatures to the low-cost manufacturer Primark in its branch in Cologne. They point out that Primark should create transparency about its supply chain and disclose the names of its suppliers.

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Handover of the protest signatures in Hong Kong to Armani on 09.01.2018. Photo: © CCC Hong KongHandover of the protest signatures in Hong Kong to Armani representatives on 09.01.2018. Photo: © CCC Hong Kong70,000 people are appealing to major clothing brands and retailers Armani, Primark, Urban Outfitters, Forever 21 and Walmart to make transparency their New Year's resolution and publish the factories that produce their clothes. Throughout January, activists from the luxury brand Armani and the low-cost manufacturer Primark will hand over golden gift boxes with signatures in major European cities. Other brands may also expect signatures on their doorsteps at any time.

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