01 August 2017 17.- 27.10.2017: Round trip: Strong women from Bangladesh – For a fairer fashion industry! Berlin – Hanover – Bonn – Cologne – Düsseldorf – Mönchengladbach Wages in Bangladesh's apparel industry are among the lowest in the world. Working conditions are catastrophic and accidents continue to occur with many dead and injured, such as the Rana Plaza collapse in 2013, when more than 1,100 workers died. When thousands of workers went on strike for a higher minimum wage in December 2016 in the Ashulia textile region of Bangladesh, factory owners and the government relentlessly beat back to intimidate workers and trade unions. 600 workers and trade unionists were charged, 1600 were fired, 26 were imprisoned. FEMNET e.V., together with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, is organising an event tour from 17 to 27 October 2017. Almost a year after the brutal crackdown on the protests, Bangladeshi activists report on the fight for better working conditions and fairer pay. Southern guests Kalpona nude She is one of Bangladesh's best-known activists. She started working in clothing factories at the age of 12. However, due to her trade union involvement, she was later fired and soon placed on the ‘blacklist’ of factories. Nevertheless, she continued to fight. Since 2000, Kalpona has been working full-time as a union leader and activist. She is the executive director of the Bangladesh Center for Worker Solidarity (BCWS), which advocates for labour rights in the apparel industry. Last year, Kalpona was honored with Human Rights Watch's Alison Des Forges Award for her tireless commitment. Mim Akter She is also a trade unionist from Bangladesh. She is the general secretary of the Dress & Dismetic factory union. She has been working in this factory for over 14 years and is now a senior executive. She is also a member of the Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers' Federation (BGIWF). Within the framework of the exhibition:I'll make your clothes! The strong women from South East Asia“ she was portrayed together with other leading trade unionists from Bangladesh and Cambodia. appointments BERLIN, Tuesday, 17 October 2017 Press date: 12:00 p.m. Expert discussion at the Friedrich Ebert Foundation: 14:00 - 16:00 Location: Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Hiroshimastraße 28, 10785 Berlin BERLIN, Tuesday, 17 October 2017Lecture at the Akademie Mode und Design Berlin6:00 p.m.Location: AMD BERLIN, Jacobowitz Hof, Pappelallee 78/79, 10437 Berlin BERLIN, Wednesday, 18 October 2017 Lecture at the University of Applied Sciences Berlin 09:00 - 10:30 amLocation: HTW Berlin, Campus Wilhelminenhof, 12459 Berlin HANNOVER, Wednesday, 18 October 2017 Lecture at Hannover University of Applied Sciences 16:00 - 18:00 o'clock Location: Expo Plaza 2, 30539 Hannover BONN, Friday, 20 October 2017 FEMNET 10th Anniversary Celebration7:00 p.m. Location: Kulturzentrum Brotfabrik Bonn, Kreuzstraße 16, 53225 Bonn KÖLN, Monday, 23 October 2017Lecture and discussion: “Solidarity between North and South ⁇ For a fairer fashion industry!”6 p.m. – 9 p.m.Location: DGB Haus Köln, Hans-Böckler-Platz 1, 50672 Cologne, Germany More information about the event in Cologne KREFELD, Tuesday, 24 October 2017Lecture at the University of Applied Sciences Niederrhein10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.Location: Campus Krefeld, Reinarzstraße 49, 47805 Krefeld MÖNCHENGLADBACH, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 Lecture at the University of Applied Sciences Niederrhein 16:00 - 17:30 Location: Campus Mönchengladbach, Webschulstraße 31, 41065 Mönchengladbach DÜSSELDORF, Wednesday 25 October and Thursday 26 October 2017 Workshop "Poor despite work? The clothing industry in Germany and Bangladesh - female seamstresses and female sellers in dialogue"Together with TIELocation: DJH Youth Hostel Düsseldorf, Düsseldorfer Str. 1, 40545 Düsseldorf, Germany BONN, Friday, 27 October 2017 FEMNET Conference on Fair Fashion Location: Kaiser-Friedrich-Str. 13, 53113 Bonn
