#Against Violence to seamstresses

Empowering women and creating structures in India and Bangladesh

The supply chains of the textile production are complex. Therefore, simple concepts against violence at the workplace do not work. A core element of our work is the support of building dialogue structures between politicians, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), trade unions and textile companies, so that all actors jointly aim to stop gender-based violence in textile factories. Continuous exchange of experience and learning processes provide sustainable improvements in working conditions.

Breaking the silence - on all levels

Violence against girls and women is a taboo - especially when it comes to sexual violence in the workplace. This holds true globally. In India and Bangladesh, work councils and trade unions are hardly ever established and only against great resistance from management which makes it even more difficult to address the topic of sexual violence at work. The problem remains invisible - hidden or suppressed. That is why, we support our partner organisations in breaking the silence in the production countries as well as putting the intolerable situation of women on the social agenda through advocacy and campaign work.

 

 

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India: Training in factories, promoting civil society, anchoring structures

In India, unlike Bangladesh, there are legal provisions for setting up complaint committees in factories, but they are insufficiently implemented. The spinning mills of southern India are characterised by particularly serious forms of violence against young women and girls. Therefore, we support our partner organisation SAVE to work for change, particularly to set up complaint mechanisms in the spinning mills through the FEMNET project #Against Violence, within the framework of the "Alliance Initiative Tamil Nadu" of the Textiles Partnership.

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Bangladesh: empowering women, creating focal points and laws

Our partner organisation BCWS is working resolutely towards the establishment of factory committees as focal points for women. In that way, workers can discuss their violent experiences in dialogue with each other and with the management. Clear responsibilities to address and resolve gender-based violence is key. Women are informed about their rights and supported to be able to help themselves.