Femnet e.V.

Accident Insurance in Bangladesh - Employment Injury Scheme (EIS)

After the factory collapse of Rana Plaza in 2013, the legally binding safety agreement for garment workers, the so-called Accord, was launched in Bangladesh. Although this agreement has improved safety in factories, accidents remain inevitable. For this reason, FEMNET supports a pioneering pilot project of the Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the International Labour Organization (ILO), which aims to improve the working conditions of workers by introducing occupational accident insurance.

Factory safety has demonstrably improved over the last decade through the Accord, which was introduced in 2013. However, through consistent controls and measures, accidents cannot be completely prevented. For this reason, it is so important that in the event of incapacity for work or death, protective mechanisms are in place for workers and their families.

Current compensation payments consist of one-off lump sums, which are often too small and can thus quickly bring injured workers and their families into existential need. Thus, the legal regulations in Bangladesh do not meet the requirements of international standards. In many production countries, universal and comprehensive accident insurance has been established for years. In Bangladesh, on the other hand, workers and their families are not effectively protected from poverty due to accidents at work.

Women are also affected, as they make up a large proportion of employees in the clothing sector. Many women still suffer from the injuries they suffered in the collapse of the Rana Plaza factory building.

In production, it is mainly men who suffer injuries from the handling of machines. Bangladeshi society is strongly influenced by patriarchal values - the man is considered the head of the family. If the family loses him due to an accident at work, this can lead to significant social and financial setbacks.

Introduction of Accident Insurance – The Employment Injury Scheme (EIS)

In Bangladesh, the pilot project EIS (Employment Injury Scheme) was launched in 2021. Funded by international brands (such as C&A, H&M, Primark, Tchibo, KiK and Puma), the fund pays monthly compensation payments and shows that adequate insurance coverage can save workers and their families from poverty. The five-year pilot project is intended to pave the way for sustainable employer-financed accident insurance in Bangladesh.

Since mid-2023, FEMNET has been supporting the initiators of the EIS Pilot, including the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, in implementing the measures in cooperation with the Bangladeshi Ministry of Labour and the representatives of employers and employees.

Our goals:

1. Protecting garment workers and their families from poverty as a result of accidents at work leading to incapacity for work, disability or death
2. Promoting awareness of the right to health and safety at work in Bangladesh and internationally
3. In 2026 there is an employer-financed accident insurance in Bangladesh
4. The introduction of accident insurance opens up debates on other topics in the field of health and social protection

Our activities

Things to do in Bangladesh

Through training with multipliers and workshops for workers, we sensitize them to the EIS. The Sromik Jigashya app, which is already used by thousands of workers, will receive an accident insurance tool extension.

 

Activities in Germany and internationally

Through the exchange with partners such as the Clean Clothes Campaign and the Textile Alliance, we share the progress of the project. Through webinars and discussions, other companies are persuaded to participate in the EIS. A Speakers' Tour with trade unionists provides information about the state of accident insurance in Bangladesh. Educational and visibility measures, including an educational module for universities, contribute to the dissemination of project results.

 

The project is funded by the Shurokkha Project.