Campaign #Who's watching out? - We demand companies to take responsibility for mothers and children

Who looks after the children of workers while they sew our clothes?
Who makes sure that companies exercise due diligence and comply with laws?

Since 2017, FEMNET’s campaign #Who is watching out? Demands that companies in the textile industry take on social responsibility for workers and their children and create good childcare facilities together with their suppliers.

Our campaign explicitly demands companies to:

  • accept social responsibility and the fulfil of their human rights due diligence,
  • ensure the implementation of social standards among suppliers through membership of a multi-stakeholder initiative
  • publish the names and addresses of their suppliers and the main results of social audits,
  • support suppliers in implementing social standards instead of "cut & run" (relocation of production in case of difficulties),
  • enforce subsistence wages and freedom of organisation as part of company policy and to present a strategy including a timetable for this,
  • to initiate and maintain dialogue with trade unions and NGOs in the countries of production.

14,255 signatures on #Who's watching out for petition

14,225 people called on C&A, Cecil, H&M, Primark and Zalando to ensure that their suppliers provide better care for the children of seamstresses. Together with many children, we handed over the petition and called on companies to finally take responsibility and comply with existing laws in Bonn, Germany on October 10, 2018.

From International Children's Day on June 20, 2018 to World Children's Day on September 20, 2018, we collected signatures together with Cividep for the protection of children and mothers. Many organizations, initiatives and individuals supported FEMNET in its dissemination or published photo statements calling on the fashion brands to act.