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Discussors
Speakers Tour 2018: For strong women and fair work
In November 2018, FEMNET organizes a tour of Germany with two activists from Bangladesh and Myanmar. The women report on how seamstresses in the apparel industry are fighting for improved working conditions and explain how consumers can influence them.
Global demand for clothing is growing and growing. In order to keep prices in the fast fashion segment as low as possible, the industry is looking for the cheapest workers and finds them mainly in Asia: Bangladesh is now the second largest exporter of clothing in the world.
But catastrophic working conditions and devastating accidents continue to make Bangladesh negative headlines. Fearing for their image, many international companies are moving on to other countries, such as neighbouring Myanmar. But even there, starvation wages are paid, trade unions are suppressed and women are massively discriminated against.
The speakers
Kalpona nudeKalpona nude She is one of Bangladesh's best-known activists. She started working in clothing factories at the age of 12, but was later dismissed because of her union commitment. To this day, it continues to fight tirelessly for the rights of workers in Bangladesh.
Khin Nilar SoeKhin Nilar Soe The Yangon Regional Industrial Workers Union in Myanmar. As a seamstress in a clothing factory in Myanmar, she reports first-hand about the difficulties in the booming industry.
More information on the topic
FEMNET factsheets of May 2018 on the following topics:
- Gender-based violence in the clothing industry
- Women in Ethiopia's clothing industry
- Women in Bangladesh's clothing industry
- Women in Myanmar's clothing industry
The stations of the tour
Monday, 5.11.2018 to Wednesday, 7.11.2018
Civil Society Symposium in the Alliance for Sustainable Textiles on Living Wages
in Berlin
Tuesday, 6.11.2018,19:00-21:00 (18:00 Press conference)
Public panel discussion at NABU, Charitéstraße 3 (Raum Storch)
‘Existence-enhancing wages in the global textile industry. Labour rights activists report on their fight for better wages’
in Berlin
Wednesday 7 November 2018
Lecture at the University of Applied Sciences Eberswalde
Thursday, 8 November 2018
Lecture at Leuphana University Lüneburg,
Presentation at the anniversary celebration of the Hamburg regional group of the campaign for clean clothing
More information (PDF file)
Friday, 9 November 2018
Lecture at the EBC University of Applied Sciences Campus of Hamburg
Lecture at the University of HAW Hamburg
Sunday 11/11/2018
Roundtable with the organizers of the Rellinger Kleidermarkt
Monday, 12.11.2018
Lecture at the University of Hamburg
17:30-20:30: Public lecture and panel discussion at the town hall Paderborn
Stop the exploitation – we pay the price for your cheap clothes!
Evening event with cum ratione
- Further event details
- Announcement flyer (PDF file)
Tuesday, 13.11.2018
5:30 p.m.: Press conference, House of Education, Bonn
6:00 p.m.: Joint event with VHS Bonn in the House of Education
‘Stop selling - From the price of cheap clothing’
Global demand for clothing is growing and growing. In order to keep prices in the fast fashion segment as low as possible, the industry is looking for the cheapest workers and finds them mainly in Asia: Bangladesh is now the second largest exporter of clothing in the world. But catastrophic working conditions and devastating accidents continue to make Bangladesh negative headlines. Fearing for their image, many international companies are moving on to other countries, such as neighbouring Myanmar. But even there, starvation wages are paid, trade unions are suppressed and women are massively discriminated against.
Moderated by Dr. Gisela Burckhardt, CEO of FEMNET e.V., the activists report on how affected women in the clothing industry can improve working conditions and explain how consumers can influence them. Event in German with translations from English and Burmese
Participants: Dr. Gisela Burckhardt, Kalpona Akter, Khin Nilar Soe
Location: House of Education, Mülheimer Platz, Bonn
Admission is free, registration is requested.
Online registration
Wednesday, 14.11.2018
Lecture at the Friedrich-Ebert-Gymnasium, Bonn
Thursday, 15.11.2018
Lecture at the Hildegard-von-Bingen-Gymnasium Cologne
13:30-18:00: Lecture and panel discussion at the International Conference on Sustainability and Responsibility at Cologne Business School
Location: Flora Cologne
https://www.international-csr.org/
Friday, 16.11.2018
Lecture at the Aloisiuskolleg Bonn
Lecture at Hennef Municipal Gymnasium