Femnet e.V.

Pressemeldungen - Unternehmensverantwortung & Lieferkettengesetz

06 March 2018 International Women's Day: FEMNET calls for protection from violence at work

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.

At the political level, FEMNET advocates a new International Labour Organization (ILO) convention against gender-based violence in the workplace. "Until now, there is no international convention that requires action against gender-based violence in the workplace, so companies need to pay particular attention to ensuring that they and their suppliers do not tolerate violence in the workplace – and governments need to ensure that companies take preventive action", says Dr Gisela Burckhardt, CEO of the Women’s Rights Organisation.

International Women's Day marks the end of a global campaign calling on ILO member states to take action. At the International Labour Conference in June 2018, they will discuss the previous draft. Whether actions follow will also depend on the attitude of the German government.

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FEMNET e.V.
Gisela Burckhardt
Kaiser-Friedrich-Straße 11
53113 Bonn
E-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.,
Tel. 01520/177 40 80

FEMNET e.V.

FEMNET e.V. is a non-profit women's rights organization founded in 2007 and based in Bonn. FEMNET opposes the exploitation of women in the clothing industry of the Global South, where much of Western clothing is sewn. The organization encourages companies to ensure compliance with social standards throughout the supply chain and the policy of creating binding rules for business conduct. With a mutual legal assistance fund, FEMNET supports the rights of women in the global South and conducts educational and advisory work at universities and schools in Germany. In addition, the organization advises cities and municipalities on the purchase of fair service clothing and provides information on seals and fair-produced clothing.