News - #SolidarityWorks! 21 August 2020 Corona and women - Why targeted support is needed Gender power gaps in the textile industry continue to widen during the coronavirus crisis. FEMNET and our partner organization BCWS in Bangladesh are committed to ending violence against women and support those affected with targeted remedies during the corona crisis. About 80% of Bangladesh's clothing industry workers are women. Therefore, they are particularly affected by the factory closures, redundancies and wage losses caused by Corona. Even after the lockdown at the end of April, many seamstresses remain without work. In most of Bangladesh's approximately 5,000 factories, only a reduced minimum wage of 65% is paid. At the same time, under the pretext of the crisis, trade union work is systematically prevented and workers are specifically dismissed. The risk for women to become victims of violence and exploitation thus increases during the coronavirus outbreak. Even before the crisis, about 75% of the workers in a study (PDF file) that they are subjected to sexual harassment, threats, beatings and insults by the mostly male superiors. In patriarchal structures, women find little support to improve their situation. How FEMNET and its partners help on the ground With the Project against violence against women and girls in the fashion industry FEMNET and BCWS End gender-based violence against textile workers. They fight the silence around women's experiences of violence: For this purpose, more than 600 workers were interviewed about their experiences with violence and the results were presented in a study (PDF file) published. The aim of the project is to set up complaint committees against sexual violence in factories, for which 3000 textile workers have been trained so far. Within the framework of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation (BMZ) and Filia The supported project will now also implement activities to mitigate the existential impact of the coronavirus pandemic: In Bangladesh, food boxes, medicine and hygiene products are distributed, which are to supply 1,000 textile workers and their families for a whole month. In addition to staple foods such as rice, beans, onions and oil, soap and pads as well as protective articles such as masks and medicine are also distributed. These additional activities in the project require additional financial resources and donations, which we support with the Corona Emergency Fund. Donate online now Further information "Stop the Violence - Break the Silence". Gender-based violence in the garment sector of Bangladesh: A study on cases, causes and cures" (2020, full report, PDF) "Stop the Violence - Break the Silence". Gender-based violence in the textile industry in Bangladesh"(2020, English, Summary, PDF)
