Michelle Burton Brown - November 2004
Members of the Bagladesh Center for Worker's Solidarity (BCWS), along with representatives from the National Labor Committee, (NLC) met recently in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania to bring attention to work conditions in developing countries. The Bangladeshi garment workers spoke at Duquesne University and then marched, along with supporters, to Freedom Corner, a historic civil rights landmark and rallying place in Pittsburgh's African-American Hill District.
Bangladesh is a South Asian country that once formed part of Pakistan. The country gained independence in 1971, after a nine-month civil war between East Pakistan and West Pakistan. In 1991 and 1996, despite on-going political upheaval and corruption, Bangladeshi voters elected two female Prime Ministers into office. The Republic of Bangladesh developed its apparel industry as a direct result of the Multi-Fiber Agreement (MFA). International trade in textiles and apparel is governed by the MFA. The agreement was designed as a short-term measure to give industrialized countries time to adjust to competition from developing countries. The agreement created Free Trade Zones by eliminating import/export taxes on fabric and finished apparel for major labels and retailers in the United States and Canada. In Free Trade Zones, factory owners are not required to pay taxes or adhere to minimum wage requirements. Twelve-hour shifts are common and trade unions illegal. Clothing is the main export of Bangladesh and accounts for more than half of the countries export income.
Two speakers at the Pittsburgh Forum, Robina Akther and Ms.Maksuda are approximately 18 years of age. There are no birth certificates in Bangladesh so many people are unsure of their exact age. Maksuda began working in garment factories when she was 11 years old. Robina has worked in factories for the last two years. The women say that they cannot afford basic necessities. They say they are unable to buy milk, meat, vegetables or fruit. Their diet consists of mainly rice and lentils and they are unable to purchase supplemental vitamins for themselves or their children. Ms. Maksuda was seven months pregnant and working in the factory when she began to feel sick and had to stop working to wait for the nausea to pass. The manager saw that she was not working and told her to get back to work because she had a quota to meet. Ms.Maksuda asked if she could rest a few moments. She called the manager's attention to the fact that she was seven months pregnant. The manager said her pregnancy was not his concern and before she could protec or defendt herself, the manger kicked her in the stomach and she fell to the factory floor. "I felt my baby shift in my stomach when he kicked me," Ms.Maksuda told the audience through an interpreter.
Despite harsh opposition, garment workers in Bangladesh have had some success unionizing. Workers shut down production on May Day in 2001, winning their first paid holiday. In July of 2004, through strikes and publicity, workers won an unprecedented four-weeks paid maternity leave. Increasing public awareness of sweat shop conditions in developing countries have led to the creation of coalitions and alliances among clergy, universities, union leaders and activists. The Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW), the largest organization of union women in the United States, pledged to support anti-sweatshop campaigns and initiatives as priority action issues. Sweat Free Communities, a network for action against sweatshops, issued the following statement on their website:
Most clothing and footwear sold in this country are made under highly abusive conditions in factories that can only be described as sweatshops. Workers in these factories earn poverty wages for long hours of work while being denied the right to freely form or join unions. Apparel workers in the U.S. also face sweatshop conditions, as do workers in an increasing number of manufacturing and service industries.
In Pennsylvania and across the United States, hundreds of thousands of garment workers stand to lose their jobs if the majority of apparel assembly is exported to other countries. In an effort to address growing concerns over the exploitation of garment workers and the impending loss of industry, Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell signed an executive order to aid garment workers in Pennsylvania and elsewhere by ensuring that Commonwealth agencies do not procure uniforms and apparel from sweatshops. UNITE, one of the nations largest apparel and textile unions, view the governor's decision as a step in the right direction.
"I applaud Governor Rendell's strong stand in support of workers rights," said Lynne Fox, UNITE Vice President and Manager of the Philadelphia Joint Board. "This executive order will help Pennsylvania's economy by giving the many responsible factories in our state a fair chance to compete for Commonwealth contracts, without being undercut by sweatshops where workers are abused." New York, California, New Jersey and Maine passed similar anti-sweatshop legislation.
During the Uruguay Round negotiations with the World Trade Organization (WTO), an agreement was reached to phase out the MFA through the implementation of the Agreement on Textiles and Clothing (ATC). A timetable was set for phasing out the MFA beginning in January 1995, with full phase out by January 2005. Friends of the Earth International, an advocacy organization that opposes the negative effects of the global free trade system, predicts that, once quotas are removed, Bangladesh is expected to suffer from its lack of textile industry and poorly developed infrastructure. Thailand, Sri Lanka and the Philippines may also lose since all three depend on imported fabric and on marketing/buying groups over which they have little control. The impact of the MFA phase-out is likely to result in loss of employment. If countries like Bangladesh are no longer able to compete in an open market, factories will shut down and re-open elsewhere.
Under Pennsylvania's executive order, bidders on Commonwealth apparel contracts are required to meet anti-sweatshop standards in order to do business with the Commonwealth. The executive order applies to the manufacturing and laundering of uniforms and apparel contracted by Commonwealth executive agencies. Pittsburgh Anti-Sweatshop Community Alliance (PASCA), cofounder Kenneth Miller, told Women's Independent Press:
City and state laws that demand wage disclosure from all apparel manufactures can create a strong response to Multi-Fiber expiration from citizens of Western Pennsylvania. The people of this region have high standards for women's rights and civil rights.
Celeste Taylor, PASCA organizer and NAACP co ordinator, expanded upon PASCA's stand on wage disclosure:
In PASCA's disclosure demand we want to know where these factories are and how much the workers are being paid. It is probably the case that the workers are not receiving pay stubs with their checks. They don't know what they are being paid per hour. Nor do they know what they are being paid for overtime or what deductions are being taken from their paychecks. PASCA is demanding certified payroll for the workers in developing countries who sew apparel for the Pittsburgh Pirates. We cannot have Pirate Gear sewn by workers who are denied their own basic wage information.
Being denied basic wage information is only the tip of the iceberg according to War on Want, an international organization that fights poverty in developing countries affected by globalization. War on Want General Secretary, Amirul Haque Amin, blames Multi-National Corporations for the conditions in Bangladesh:
Multi-national corporations (MNCs) are responsible for these bad conditions. MNC's sell Bangladesh T-shirts for $20 to $25 in USA or other developed countries, but they buy these T-shirt from Bangladesh at just $2. International companies sell Bandladesh denim shirts for $30 to $40 in USA or other developed countries, but they buy these shirts from Bangladesh for only $4 or $5. This is not fair trade or a fair price. This unfair and unjustified trade of international companies is responsible for the bad conditions of the Bangladeshi garment workers.
Charles Kernaghan, Executive Director of the National Labor Committee, is traveled across the United States with the Bangladeshi garment workers. Kernaghan condemns U.S. corporations that exploit workers in developing countries.
Wal-Mart is the largest company in the world. Wal-Mart's annual revenues are $258.7 billion dollars. What many people don't know is that Wal-Mart is also the largest sweatshop abuser in the world. When Wal-Mart advertises with that little bouncing ball that they are going to Roll Back Prices, what Wal-Mart is really doing is slashing wages and benefits and rolling back respect for women's, workers' and human rights all across the developing world. Wal-Mart is pitting workers across the world against each other, competing over who will accept the least pay and benefits and the most miserable living and working conditions. Workers in Bangladesh sewing Wal-Mart garments are earning just 13 to 17 cents an hour, leaving the workers and their families trapped in utter misery.
Educational opportunities are practically non-existent. Most of the workers drop out of school at an early age to help support their families. The women work 12 to15 hours per day. There is no time to pursue an education.
Duquesne University professor and PASCA organizer, Michelle Gaffey, called on Governor Rendell and the city of Pittsburgh to enforce sweatshop legislation:
The state of Pennsylvania and the city of Pittsburgh have both passed anti-sweatshop purchasing legislation that remains un-enforced. Carnegie Mellon University and Duquesne University are members of the Workers Right Consortium affiliation campaigns in the area. The members of PASCA have been talking to baseball fans and urging the Pittsburgh Pirates Baseball Club to help us lead the Major League sports industry in sweat free initiatives.
The goal of organizers is to connect efforts to end exploitation of garment workers in developing countries to the exploitation of workers in other countries. Mongezi Nkomo, South African native and founder of Azania Heritage International, the sponsoring organization for PASCA, said, "The anti-sweatshop movement in the USA, Africa, Asia and Latin America is a part of the global human rights movement for democratic freedom, economic justice and social peace in an era of global neo-liberalism---where the primary agenda is corporate greed for private profit at the expense of the majority of the human race."
Before leaving Pittsburgh for Boston Sheikh Nazma, president of Bangladesh Center for Workers Solidarity and former factory worker, told supports at Freedom Corner:
We seek your support to win worker's rights. All we want is one day a week off. No physical abuse in the factories. Overtime pay and maternity leave. We want to be treated with dignity and like human beings.
To learn about national and international anti-sweat-shop initiatives contact Charles Kernaghan, at (212) 242-3821 or visit the National Labor Committee website at nclnet. If you are interested in hearing more about work conditions in Bangladesh and other , contact Rifiqul Alam at refiqa46@yahoo.com.
This article and its contents are the product of the publisher, and their opinions do not necessarily reflect those of the IWW. It's included here for information purposes only.
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Friday, 12 December 2008
relationship
Broadly speaking, the relationship between gender and processes of globalization and trade liberalization has been more often than not assumed to be 'neutral'. Although these assumptions over time are being challenged with a string of evidence based research and analysis, a critical mass of debate, discussion and dialogue amongst concerned stakeholders is yet to emerge. For an objective assessment, trade linked gender impacts need to be approached in a sector and country specific manner. Despite this realisation, on account of various factors studies of trade gender linkages have not picked up to the desired extent. Also, there has been a felt need to mainstream gender into trade policies at the bilateral, regional and multilateral levels so that gender outcomes are factored in trade policy formulation and implementation processes. All the concerned stakeholders need to be sensitised on this agenda.
With this backdrop in view, the Commonwealth Secretariat initiated a programme of sensitizing key stakeholders and senior policy makers through training workshops on the linkages between gender, trade and export promotion in different regions. Three regional capacity building workshops were held by the Commonwealth Secretariat on Gender, Trade Policy and Export Promotion in East Africa, the Caribbean, and South Asia collaboratively with identified partners. The workshops were held respectively between 25-29 July 2005 in Arusha, Tanzania; 23-27 January in Ocho Rios, Jamaica; and 28 August - 1 September in New Delhi, India.
Subsequently, it was felt that the diversified and rich network of gender and trade related resource persons and experts should continue to interact and remain engaged with critical issues and concerns. Action plans developed the workshops and the progress thereof could also be shared within the network and beyond to promote cross country cross sectoral learnings. Relevant case studies/success stories could also similarly exchanged.
In order to operationalise this approach, it was proposed that that the Commonwealth Secretariat in association with the Gender and Trade Initiative, GATI and DFID would initiate a e-newsletter Gender and Trade as also set up a comprehensive web-based resource centre on Gender and trade.
It is believed that the e-newsletter and website while aiming to be a pivotal tool and a central mechanism for promoting and facilitating such a network and exchange of ideas would also be an important step towards catalyzing further research in new areas.
The Commonwealth
The Commonwealth is an association of 53 independent states consulting and co-operating in the common interests of their peoples and in the promotion of international understanding and world peace. The Commonwealth's 1.8 billion citizens, about 30 per cent of the world's population, are drawn from the broadest range of faiths, races, cultures and traditions. The association does not have a written constitution, but it does have a series of agreements setting out its beliefs and objectives. These Declarations or Statements were issued at various Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings. The first, fundamental statement of core beliefs is the Declaration of Commonwealth Principles which was issued at the 1971 summit in Singapore . Among other things, it stresses the need to foster international peace and security; democracy; liberty of the individual and equal rights for all; the importance of eradicating poverty, ignorance and disease; and it opposes all forms of racial discrimination.
The Commonwealth Secretariat
The Commonwealth Secretariat, established in 1965 is the main intergovernmental agency of the Commonwealth, facilitating consultation and co-operation among member governments and countries. The Commonwealth Secretariat is headed by the Commonwealth Secretary General and is located at Marlborough House in London . Its sister inter-governmental organisations are the Commonwealth Foundation (also based at Marlborough House) and the Commonwealth of Learning (in Vancouver , Canada ). The association does not have a written constitution, but it does have a series of agreements setting out its beliefs and objectives. These Declarations or Statements were issued at various Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings. The first, fundamental statement of core beliefs is the Declaration of Commonwealth Principles which was issued at the 1971 summit in Singapore . Among other things, it stresses the need to foster international peace and security; democracy; liberty of the individual and equal rights for all; the importance of eradicating poverty, ignorance and disease; and it opposes all forms of racial discrimination.
To know more about The Commonwealth, visit http://www.thecommonwealth.org/
About GATI
The Gender and Trade Initiative (GATI) is an initiative of the Society for Conflict Analysis and Resolution (SOFCAR) a New Delhi based research and advocacy organisation.
GATI was launched in November 2004 with the support and guidance of UNIFEM South Asia Regional Office (UNIFEM SARO) to focus on critical issues relating to Gender and Trade in South Asia and beyond. Essentially, it originated with the realization that gender and trade issues have not been accorded their due importance by researchers and advocacy groups alike. Often, trade policies have been characterized as gender neutral. However, increasingly there is a growing recognition of the fact that the processes of globalization are associated with rapid changes in forms of work and life and have clear differential impacts on gender relations and outcomes.
Accordingly, the core objective of GATI has been to conduct credible evidence based research on the subject, provide policy inputs and promote a wider awareness and debate on the theme. Essentially, since the terms of the debate have been couched in technical jargons and the same needs to be demystified and communicated in a simple format to non-specialist audience.
GATI maintains active links with trade and gender experts in academic institutions and in civil society across South Asia.
Key programme areas include:
Conduct evidence based research on trade and gender linkages
Advocate for gender mainstreaming in trade negotiations through capacity building workshops, seminars and consultations
Build the capacity of government and civil society on trade and gender issues
Develop networks and convergence with regional and international organisations on issues of gender and trade
GATI is a partner of UNIFEM SARO and the Commonwealth Secretariat
For more information contact:
With this backdrop in view, the Commonwealth Secretariat initiated a programme of sensitizing key stakeholders and senior policy makers through training workshops on the linkages between gender, trade and export promotion in different regions. Three regional capacity building workshops were held by the Commonwealth Secretariat on Gender, Trade Policy and Export Promotion in East Africa, the Caribbean, and South Asia collaboratively with identified partners. The workshops were held respectively between 25-29 July 2005 in Arusha, Tanzania; 23-27 January in Ocho Rios, Jamaica; and 28 August - 1 September in New Delhi, India.
Subsequently, it was felt that the diversified and rich network of gender and trade related resource persons and experts should continue to interact and remain engaged with critical issues and concerns. Action plans developed the workshops and the progress thereof could also be shared within the network and beyond to promote cross country cross sectoral learnings. Relevant case studies/success stories could also similarly exchanged.
In order to operationalise this approach, it was proposed that that the Commonwealth Secretariat in association with the Gender and Trade Initiative, GATI and DFID would initiate a e-newsletter Gender and Trade as also set up a comprehensive web-based resource centre on Gender and trade.
It is believed that the e-newsletter and website while aiming to be a pivotal tool and a central mechanism for promoting and facilitating such a network and exchange of ideas would also be an important step towards catalyzing further research in new areas.
The Commonwealth
The Commonwealth is an association of 53 independent states consulting and co-operating in the common interests of their peoples and in the promotion of international understanding and world peace. The Commonwealth's 1.8 billion citizens, about 30 per cent of the world's population, are drawn from the broadest range of faiths, races, cultures and traditions. The association does not have a written constitution, but it does have a series of agreements setting out its beliefs and objectives. These Declarations or Statements were issued at various Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings. The first, fundamental statement of core beliefs is the Declaration of Commonwealth Principles which was issued at the 1971 summit in Singapore . Among other things, it stresses the need to foster international peace and security; democracy; liberty of the individual and equal rights for all; the importance of eradicating poverty, ignorance and disease; and it opposes all forms of racial discrimination.
The Commonwealth Secretariat
The Commonwealth Secretariat, established in 1965 is the main intergovernmental agency of the Commonwealth, facilitating consultation and co-operation among member governments and countries. The Commonwealth Secretariat is headed by the Commonwealth Secretary General and is located at Marlborough House in London . Its sister inter-governmental organisations are the Commonwealth Foundation (also based at Marlborough House) and the Commonwealth of Learning (in Vancouver , Canada ). The association does not have a written constitution, but it does have a series of agreements setting out its beliefs and objectives. These Declarations or Statements were issued at various Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings. The first, fundamental statement of core beliefs is the Declaration of Commonwealth Principles which was issued at the 1971 summit in Singapore . Among other things, it stresses the need to foster international peace and security; democracy; liberty of the individual and equal rights for all; the importance of eradicating poverty, ignorance and disease; and it opposes all forms of racial discrimination.
To know more about The Commonwealth, visit http://www.thecommonwealth.org/
About GATI
The Gender and Trade Initiative (GATI) is an initiative of the Society for Conflict Analysis and Resolution (SOFCAR) a New Delhi based research and advocacy organisation.
GATI was launched in November 2004 with the support and guidance of UNIFEM South Asia Regional Office (UNIFEM SARO) to focus on critical issues relating to Gender and Trade in South Asia and beyond. Essentially, it originated with the realization that gender and trade issues have not been accorded their due importance by researchers and advocacy groups alike. Often, trade policies have been characterized as gender neutral. However, increasingly there is a growing recognition of the fact that the processes of globalization are associated with rapid changes in forms of work and life and have clear differential impacts on gender relations and outcomes.
Accordingly, the core objective of GATI has been to conduct credible evidence based research on the subject, provide policy inputs and promote a wider awareness and debate on the theme. Essentially, since the terms of the debate have been couched in technical jargons and the same needs to be demystified and communicated in a simple format to non-specialist audience.
GATI maintains active links with trade and gender experts in academic institutions and in civil society across South Asia.
Key programme areas include:
Conduct evidence based research on trade and gender linkages
Advocate for gender mainstreaming in trade negotiations through capacity building workshops, seminars and consultations
Build the capacity of government and civil society on trade and gender issues
Develop networks and convergence with regional and international organisations on issues of gender and trade
GATI is a partner of UNIFEM SARO and the Commonwealth Secretariat
For more information contact:
Bangladesh Garment Workers
Bangladesh Garment Workers Have Taste of Freedom
Run Date: 07/15/02
By Swapna MajumdarWEnews correspondent
The hours are long, the wages are low and the conditions hazardous, yet Bangladeshi women are finding their garment industry wages provide them visibility and even authority in a society that once ignored them.
DHAKA, Bangladesh (WOMENSENEWS)--Every morning the joggers here are joined by a stream of chattering young women. The women are bound neither for school nor college. They are off to work.
The women's presence is a huge achievement in a country where women's visibility is extremely low. The doors that are opening for these women are in Bangladesh's booming garment industry, which is providing them with unprecedented employment opportunities.
Over 1.3 million women may spend their days bent over whirring sewing machines, and their income and independence has triggered a silent revolution amongthem. Women say they are no longer content to live a life of anonymity behind their purdahs, or veils.
"Ever since I started working in the garment factory, my life has changed. For the first time, I am not being looked upon as a burden. It has improved my status within the family," said 19-year-old Chobi Mahmud, a garment worker in Dhaka.
Chobi, who is from the country's northern district of Tangail, is not the only woman who has migrated from her family's village to work in the city. Over the past nine years, there has been a steady flow of rural women to Bangladesh's capital, Dhaka. Some 74 percent of the women employed in the city's garment factories--all of which are owned by men--are rural migrants. About 85 percent of garment factory workers in 2002 are women compared to just 28 percent in 1990, according to the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies, Dhaka.
More significantly, over 60 percent of them are unmarried. In a society where girls are expected to cover their faces with the purdah once they reach puberty and their mobility becomes extremely restricted, working outside the home is a tremendous social and cultural change.
"Fifteen years ago, women were rarely seen, if at all. Now their visibility has increased manifold thanks to the garment industry. It has brought about a socio-economic transformation," said Khushi Kabir, a social activist who heads Nijera Kori, a prominent self-help organization in Dhaka.
Factory Conditions Are Unsafe, Wages Low
Still, many of the women toil in unsafe working conditions. Garment factory owners, who know the women will accept low wages and long working hours even if it takes a toll on their health, have no incentive to improve conditions.
Nari Uddog Kendra (Centre for Women's Initiatives), a women's organization working with women employed in the garment factories, conducted a study of the health conditions of the women. It found that 66 percent complained that their health had deteriorated since they began work in the factories. One quarter of those reporting respiratory problems had been working in the factories for five years or more, and one fifth of those reporting symptoms of repetitive strain injuries had been working for six years or more. Long hours of work in one particular position, lack of access to clean toilet facilities and inadequate ventilation in factories were major factors in health problems.
Nonetheless, the industry has prompted so significant a change in women's status that the government-backed Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies is studying its ramifications and impact on women's power in relationships and the economy.
"There are rigid cultural norms here," said Pratima Paul-Majumdar, a researcher at the institute. "Our society is patriarchal. Women have no access to resources or opportunities to improve their situation nor do they have any say in decisions concerning their lives. All household decisions are taken without bothering to involve them."
"But now all this has changed because she has started to earn," she said. "In a poverty-stricken country, this income means the difference between life and death. Families of these women are now more than willing to allow them to migrate to the cities and stay alone, if need be, in order to work."
Female Breadwinners Send Cash to Villages, Live on Their Own in Cities
A majority of these women have become the principal earners of their families. This has not only boosted their self confidence but has also empowered them to make decisions about their own income. Although the women remit about 25 percent of their income regularly to their families living in the villages, they have opened bank accounts and have, for the first time, begun to spend on themselves. Their families don't complain. Why should they? Their sons haven't bothered to send money home. Surveys showed that 73 percent of the male workers in garment factories do not remit their income. But thanks to their daughter's earnings, 43 percent of their families have begun living in brick houses as compared to 22 percent before their employment in the garment factories.
Economic independence has had another positive impact. It has emboldened them not only to venture out alone but to live without their families. Until a few years ago, living alone was completely unthinkable in a socially orthodox society like Bangladesh. But now, women have begun to share rooms with other female workers. Sociologists note that men have traditionally shared accommodations. However, with the emergence of the garment industry in 1993, the same arrangement among women has broken the traditional norm of residing with a male guardian.
It is not the only break from tradition in Bangladesh. Mashuda Shefali Khatun, who heads the Centre for Women's Initiatives said that surveys the center conducted in 2000 showed that approximately 52 percent of women reported that their husbands had begun to share domestic chores, a tangible social change. Nine years ago husbands did nothing at all. Now, in households where women are the principal breadwinners, the husband takes care of all the domestic chores, spending about four hours on them. In households where the husband is the main earner he spends about two hours on domestic chores.
The garment industry has impacted on Bangladesh's population as well. Because of later marriages, the country's fertility rate has declined from 6.3 children in 1972 to 3.3 in 1996, according to Dr. Jahir Uddin Ahmed of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. In 1991, the average age of marriage was 16 for girls. But employment has encouraged girls to resist early marriages, and in 2000 the mean age of marriage for women was 20. Paul-Majumdar's study indicated that delayed marriage also led to a delay in childbearing--in 1991, the average age at which women gave birth to their first child was 17, and in 2000 the average age had risen to 22.
"The girls have a choice for the first time in their lives," Paul-Majumdar said. "Earlier they had no alternative to early marriage and motherhood. The garment industry creates a period of transition from childhood to adulthood."
Mothers Now Insisting Their Daughters Stay in School
It may also be improving literacy rates, one indicator international development experts typically use to chart a country's social progress.
The literacy rate among the rural female population in Bangladesh is about 35 percent, compared to 57 percent in urban areas where the garment industry is centered, according to Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies. Researchers have also found a positive correlation between women's level of education and their wages, with women who have been educated beyond the primary level earning at least 76 percent more than less-educated women.
According to a survey conducted in 1999 and 2000 by the Bangladesh Ministry of Women's Affairs and the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies, women garment workers whose academic qualifications ranged from seven to ten years of schooling were two times more empowered to make decisions without consulting any family member than their counterparts with no education.
Women's newfound authority in the country's economy has brought about changes in their attitudes. Many women now insist that their daughters study further to improve their future prospects.
"I want my daughter to study as much as she wants. I want her to work in a better job than mine where she will be better paid. I will not force her into marriage like I was," said Majeda Begum, 38, a garment worker in Dhaka.
Swapna Majumdar is a senior Indian journalist based in New Delhi who writes on development issues with a gender perspective.
For more information:
Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies:http://www.bids-bd.org
Bangladesh National Garment Workers Federation:http://www.nadir.org/nadir/initiativ/agp/s26/banglad/
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Run Date: 07/15/02
By Swapna MajumdarWEnews correspondent
The hours are long, the wages are low and the conditions hazardous, yet Bangladeshi women are finding their garment industry wages provide them visibility and even authority in a society that once ignored them.
DHAKA, Bangladesh (WOMENSENEWS)--Every morning the joggers here are joined by a stream of chattering young women. The women are bound neither for school nor college. They are off to work.
The women's presence is a huge achievement in a country where women's visibility is extremely low. The doors that are opening for these women are in Bangladesh's booming garment industry, which is providing them with unprecedented employment opportunities.
Over 1.3 million women may spend their days bent over whirring sewing machines, and their income and independence has triggered a silent revolution amongthem. Women say they are no longer content to live a life of anonymity behind their purdahs, or veils.
"Ever since I started working in the garment factory, my life has changed. For the first time, I am not being looked upon as a burden. It has improved my status within the family," said 19-year-old Chobi Mahmud, a garment worker in Dhaka.
Chobi, who is from the country's northern district of Tangail, is not the only woman who has migrated from her family's village to work in the city. Over the past nine years, there has been a steady flow of rural women to Bangladesh's capital, Dhaka. Some 74 percent of the women employed in the city's garment factories--all of which are owned by men--are rural migrants. About 85 percent of garment factory workers in 2002 are women compared to just 28 percent in 1990, according to the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies, Dhaka.
More significantly, over 60 percent of them are unmarried. In a society where girls are expected to cover their faces with the purdah once they reach puberty and their mobility becomes extremely restricted, working outside the home is a tremendous social and cultural change.
"Fifteen years ago, women were rarely seen, if at all. Now their visibility has increased manifold thanks to the garment industry. It has brought about a socio-economic transformation," said Khushi Kabir, a social activist who heads Nijera Kori, a prominent self-help organization in Dhaka.
Factory Conditions Are Unsafe, Wages Low
Still, many of the women toil in unsafe working conditions. Garment factory owners, who know the women will accept low wages and long working hours even if it takes a toll on their health, have no incentive to improve conditions.
Nari Uddog Kendra (Centre for Women's Initiatives), a women's organization working with women employed in the garment factories, conducted a study of the health conditions of the women. It found that 66 percent complained that their health had deteriorated since they began work in the factories. One quarter of those reporting respiratory problems had been working in the factories for five years or more, and one fifth of those reporting symptoms of repetitive strain injuries had been working for six years or more. Long hours of work in one particular position, lack of access to clean toilet facilities and inadequate ventilation in factories were major factors in health problems.
Nonetheless, the industry has prompted so significant a change in women's status that the government-backed Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies is studying its ramifications and impact on women's power in relationships and the economy.
"There are rigid cultural norms here," said Pratima Paul-Majumdar, a researcher at the institute. "Our society is patriarchal. Women have no access to resources or opportunities to improve their situation nor do they have any say in decisions concerning their lives. All household decisions are taken without bothering to involve them."
"But now all this has changed because she has started to earn," she said. "In a poverty-stricken country, this income means the difference between life and death. Families of these women are now more than willing to allow them to migrate to the cities and stay alone, if need be, in order to work."
Female Breadwinners Send Cash to Villages, Live on Their Own in Cities
A majority of these women have become the principal earners of their families. This has not only boosted their self confidence but has also empowered them to make decisions about their own income. Although the women remit about 25 percent of their income regularly to their families living in the villages, they have opened bank accounts and have, for the first time, begun to spend on themselves. Their families don't complain. Why should they? Their sons haven't bothered to send money home. Surveys showed that 73 percent of the male workers in garment factories do not remit their income. But thanks to their daughter's earnings, 43 percent of their families have begun living in brick houses as compared to 22 percent before their employment in the garment factories.
Economic independence has had another positive impact. It has emboldened them not only to venture out alone but to live without their families. Until a few years ago, living alone was completely unthinkable in a socially orthodox society like Bangladesh. But now, women have begun to share rooms with other female workers. Sociologists note that men have traditionally shared accommodations. However, with the emergence of the garment industry in 1993, the same arrangement among women has broken the traditional norm of residing with a male guardian.
It is not the only break from tradition in Bangladesh. Mashuda Shefali Khatun, who heads the Centre for Women's Initiatives said that surveys the center conducted in 2000 showed that approximately 52 percent of women reported that their husbands had begun to share domestic chores, a tangible social change. Nine years ago husbands did nothing at all. Now, in households where women are the principal breadwinners, the husband takes care of all the domestic chores, spending about four hours on them. In households where the husband is the main earner he spends about two hours on domestic chores.
The garment industry has impacted on Bangladesh's population as well. Because of later marriages, the country's fertility rate has declined from 6.3 children in 1972 to 3.3 in 1996, according to Dr. Jahir Uddin Ahmed of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. In 1991, the average age of marriage was 16 for girls. But employment has encouraged girls to resist early marriages, and in 2000 the mean age of marriage for women was 20. Paul-Majumdar's study indicated that delayed marriage also led to a delay in childbearing--in 1991, the average age at which women gave birth to their first child was 17, and in 2000 the average age had risen to 22.
"The girls have a choice for the first time in their lives," Paul-Majumdar said. "Earlier they had no alternative to early marriage and motherhood. The garment industry creates a period of transition from childhood to adulthood."
Mothers Now Insisting Their Daughters Stay in School
It may also be improving literacy rates, one indicator international development experts typically use to chart a country's social progress.
The literacy rate among the rural female population in Bangladesh is about 35 percent, compared to 57 percent in urban areas where the garment industry is centered, according to Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies. Researchers have also found a positive correlation between women's level of education and their wages, with women who have been educated beyond the primary level earning at least 76 percent more than less-educated women.
According to a survey conducted in 1999 and 2000 by the Bangladesh Ministry of Women's Affairs and the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies, women garment workers whose academic qualifications ranged from seven to ten years of schooling were two times more empowered to make decisions without consulting any family member than their counterparts with no education.
Women's newfound authority in the country's economy has brought about changes in their attitudes. Many women now insist that their daughters study further to improve their future prospects.
"I want my daughter to study as much as she wants. I want her to work in a better job than mine where she will be better paid. I will not force her into marriage like I was," said Majeda Begum, 38, a garment worker in Dhaka.
Swapna Majumdar is a senior Indian journalist based in New Delhi who writes on development issues with a gender perspective.
For more information:
Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies:http://www.bids-bd.org
Bangladesh National Garment Workers Federation:http://www.nadir.org/nadir/initiativ/agp/s26/banglad/
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THE PRESS RELEASE
THE PRESS RELEASE
Tuesday September 30 2003FIRST HOMEWORKERS WEBSITE, WWW.BHWA.ORG LAUNCHED
During a visit to Dhaka, Neil Kearney, General Secretary of the Brussels-basedInternational Textile, Garment and Leather Workers' Federation, formally inaugurated the first website in Bangladesh focusing on homeworkers, the goods they produce and the difficulties they face in their working lives-
The website, www.bhwa.org, is the latest initiative of the Bangladesh Homeworkers' Women Association to place the issue of women homeworkers at the forefront of the minds of developmental policy makers in Bangladesh.
Inaugurating the website, Mr. Kearney congratulated the Bangladesh Homeworkers'Women Association on their energy and initiative in bringing together homeworkers in Bangladesh under one umbrella and giving them newfound unity and strength to fight for their rights.
These initiatives have involved not only seeking improvements in the prices paid for homeworkers' products but has included the aggressive marketing of these products and focusing the attention of policy-makers on the contribution made by homeworkers to the local economy and the need for their protection.
Said Mr. Kearney: "The internet is a powerful medium for disseminating information and for promoting interest. The BHWA has created a very interesting website for homeworkers -the first in Bangladesh- which not only paints a picture of the lives and work of homeworkers in the country, but also highlights the range of items they produce, and offers the opportunity of purchasing each of these products. This will be a valuable tool for homeworkers and I would urge everyone to visit www.bhwa.org"
^^ TOP^^
Please address all correspondence to the General Secretary
PRESS RELEASEINAUGURATION OF WEBSITE - www.bhwa.org
Bangladesh Homeworkers Women Association (BHWA) has been working with homebased workers in the country since it's inception in 1986. Along with their fight for worker rights issues, they also work towards increased awareness and financial independence for women homeworkers. A home worker's contribution to the social and economic development of the nation cannot be overlooked. Her hard work is not given due recognition and value.
Homeworkers are a neglected group in Bangladesh.
This organization has seen a quantum increase in activities and membership since the National Workshop in January 2003. The theme of the workshop was to devise a mechanism to frame a "National Policy" for homebased workers. This workshop was the catalyst that brought together most women homeworkers in Bangladesh under one umbrella and gave them a newfound unity and strength to fight for their rights. Subsequently, in the course of their work in advocacy, marketing and other fields, they encountered a big stumbling block in the form of ignorance and social apathy. One big hurdle to their work is the lack of awareness in this country on the contribution of homeworkers to the national economy. This ignorance and apathy has to be tackled before anyone can hope for any favorable government initiatives. To help spread awareness of their cause, they would need to use all available media resources. One media that is being widely exploited currently is the Internet. This media has achieved tremendous popularity & penetration in a very short time mainly due to the ease of usage and the negligible cost involved. The Internet has emerged as the preferred source for all information seekers, outclassing all the traditional information sourcessuch as print media, encyclopedias, directories etc.
Keeping in tune with the present environment, BHWA has designed and developed a website for our organization named "www.bhwa.org" (web design consultants - DRIK Multimedia). This is just a small beginning in their effort to place the woman homeworker issue in the forefront of the minds of all policymakers involved in developmental planning for our country. The aim is to increase awareness and promote the cause of the woman homeworker.
They intend to highlight the various direct and indirect contributions each woman homeworker makes to the national economy and how she gets absolutely no support from the state in return. According to BHWA General Secretary, Ms. Dilruba Anguri, "We hope the website will help us mobilize favorable support for our cause from the general public & society's leaders, both in our country and abroad. All this would not have been possible without the support and constant encouragement received from our partner associations, the ITGLWF, TWARO, HomeNet South Asia, etc. We hope all our associates will support us in this endeavor and look forward to their suggestions and opinions in helping us further improve on our website".
The website was formally inaugurated by Mr. Neil Kearney, General Secretary, ITGLWF, Belgium. ITGLWF has tirelessly campaigned on the national & international stage for granting recognition to homeworkers. They have always been an inspirational and guiding force for BHWA and have on many occasions shown them the right path forward. BHWA owes a lot to their support and encouragement and hopes to continue this close partnership in the future.
The website has been simplistically designed in order to emphasize on the text content. Monotony is however wonderfully relieved by the pictures of the exquisite handicraft creations of women homeworkers in Bangladesh- Various aspects of the organization's activities such as their philosophy, their main focus-the woman homeworker, the marketing aspect, their achievements, their international partners etc. have been detailed in the numerous pages on the site. All the information is presented in an easily accessible manner with minimum frills. Feedback and interaction with the reader is also made easy with an online "Inquiry form" which will forward reader queries to their office. The product gallery is the most visually colorful page and has to be seen. A click on this page is definitely recommended, if not to order, then to just admire the rich colors and varied handiwork of women working under difficult and adverse conditions.
Ms. Dilruba AnguriGeneral Secretary - BHWA
Tuesday September 30 2003FIRST HOMEWORKERS WEBSITE, WWW.BHWA.ORG LAUNCHED
During a visit to Dhaka, Neil Kearney, General Secretary of the Brussels-basedInternational Textile, Garment and Leather Workers' Federation, formally inaugurated the first website in Bangladesh focusing on homeworkers, the goods they produce and the difficulties they face in their working lives-
The website, www.bhwa.org, is the latest initiative of the Bangladesh Homeworkers' Women Association to place the issue of women homeworkers at the forefront of the minds of developmental policy makers in Bangladesh.
Inaugurating the website, Mr. Kearney congratulated the Bangladesh Homeworkers'Women Association on their energy and initiative in bringing together homeworkers in Bangladesh under one umbrella and giving them newfound unity and strength to fight for their rights.
These initiatives have involved not only seeking improvements in the prices paid for homeworkers' products but has included the aggressive marketing of these products and focusing the attention of policy-makers on the contribution made by homeworkers to the local economy and the need for their protection.
Said Mr. Kearney: "The internet is a powerful medium for disseminating information and for promoting interest. The BHWA has created a very interesting website for homeworkers -the first in Bangladesh- which not only paints a picture of the lives and work of homeworkers in the country, but also highlights the range of items they produce, and offers the opportunity of purchasing each of these products. This will be a valuable tool for homeworkers and I would urge everyone to visit www.bhwa.org"
^^ TOP^^
Please address all correspondence to the General Secretary
PRESS RELEASEINAUGURATION OF WEBSITE - www.bhwa.org
Bangladesh Homeworkers Women Association (BHWA) has been working with homebased workers in the country since it's inception in 1986. Along with their fight for worker rights issues, they also work towards increased awareness and financial independence for women homeworkers. A home worker's contribution to the social and economic development of the nation cannot be overlooked. Her hard work is not given due recognition and value.
Homeworkers are a neglected group in Bangladesh.
This organization has seen a quantum increase in activities and membership since the National Workshop in January 2003. The theme of the workshop was to devise a mechanism to frame a "National Policy" for homebased workers. This workshop was the catalyst that brought together most women homeworkers in Bangladesh under one umbrella and gave them a newfound unity and strength to fight for their rights. Subsequently, in the course of their work in advocacy, marketing and other fields, they encountered a big stumbling block in the form of ignorance and social apathy. One big hurdle to their work is the lack of awareness in this country on the contribution of homeworkers to the national economy. This ignorance and apathy has to be tackled before anyone can hope for any favorable government initiatives. To help spread awareness of their cause, they would need to use all available media resources. One media that is being widely exploited currently is the Internet. This media has achieved tremendous popularity & penetration in a very short time mainly due to the ease of usage and the negligible cost involved. The Internet has emerged as the preferred source for all information seekers, outclassing all the traditional information sourcessuch as print media, encyclopedias, directories etc.
Keeping in tune with the present environment, BHWA has designed and developed a website for our organization named "www.bhwa.org" (web design consultants - DRIK Multimedia). This is just a small beginning in their effort to place the woman homeworker issue in the forefront of the minds of all policymakers involved in developmental planning for our country. The aim is to increase awareness and promote the cause of the woman homeworker.
They intend to highlight the various direct and indirect contributions each woman homeworker makes to the national economy and how she gets absolutely no support from the state in return. According to BHWA General Secretary, Ms. Dilruba Anguri, "We hope the website will help us mobilize favorable support for our cause from the general public & society's leaders, both in our country and abroad. All this would not have been possible without the support and constant encouragement received from our partner associations, the ITGLWF, TWARO, HomeNet South Asia, etc. We hope all our associates will support us in this endeavor and look forward to their suggestions and opinions in helping us further improve on our website".
The website was formally inaugurated by Mr. Neil Kearney, General Secretary, ITGLWF, Belgium. ITGLWF has tirelessly campaigned on the national & international stage for granting recognition to homeworkers. They have always been an inspirational and guiding force for BHWA and have on many occasions shown them the right path forward. BHWA owes a lot to their support and encouragement and hopes to continue this close partnership in the future.
The website has been simplistically designed in order to emphasize on the text content. Monotony is however wonderfully relieved by the pictures of the exquisite handicraft creations of women homeworkers in Bangladesh- Various aspects of the organization's activities such as their philosophy, their main focus-the woman homeworker, the marketing aspect, their achievements, their international partners etc. have been detailed in the numerous pages on the site. All the information is presented in an easily accessible manner with minimum frills. Feedback and interaction with the reader is also made easy with an online "Inquiry form" which will forward reader queries to their office. The product gallery is the most visually colorful page and has to be seen. A click on this page is definitely recommended, if not to order, then to just admire the rich colors and varied handiwork of women working under difficult and adverse conditions.
Ms. Dilruba AnguriGeneral Secretary - BHWA
Home-based workers
Home-based workers seek nat'l wage policy
Matia Banu is a housewife. She has opted for working as a home-based worker to earn some extra money for her family. Making various types of cakes is her job, a sub-contractual one for which she has been assigned by a city super chain shop. But Matia has been unhappy over the years as she is denied a price fair proportionately with her hard labour and time. "I work at home during my leisure time, though. Whatever the amount I get as wage is considered as an extra income. But it's not enough because the job is laborious and time-consuming as well," Matia grumbles. There are thousands of Matias here and there. These home-based workers are often denied fair wages for jobs due to lack of a national wage policy recognising such workers' contribution to the country's economy. The observation came yesterday at a workshop on Minimum Wages for Home-based Workers at the Swanirbhar Bangladesh auditorium in Dhaka. Bangladesh Women Home-workers Association (BWHA) and Homenet Bangladesh in association with United Nations Development Fund for Women organised the workshop. Speaking on the occasion, Dilruba Anguri, general secretary of BWHA, quoting the Home Work Convention 1996 of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) said a person who produces different components of a product or a whole product in his own home for money on a contract is regarded as home worker. Referring to the Clause 3 in the ILO Convention that laid emphasis on formulation and implementation of national policies for development of the home workers, Dilruba lamented that no government paid any heed to the matter in the last 10 years. "The need for a national wage policy is urgent because it would help mitigate the deprivation of the home workers, many of whom produce exportable quality goods," she observed. She demanded the government should ratify the ILO Home Work Convention 1996 to protect the home-based industry. Touhidur Rahman Rony, president of the Garment Industry Workers Federation, announced at the workshop that a series of programmes would be chalked out to press home a wage security for the home-based workers. He also made a clarion call to organise dialogues with small entrepreneurs, including Grammen Bank and Aarong, to fix a minimum wage for the home-based workers. Addressing as the chief guest, Mahmud Hasan Khan Babu, director of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), asked for ensuring social security, healthcare and facilities for the home-based workers. He also suggested that adequate opportunities be made for the home workers to participate in different exhibitions and fairs, which might directly help them to get fair prices of their products. Representatives from different organisations in Gazipur, Tangail, Shirajganj, Barisal, Khulna, Chuadanga and other areas of the country took part in the workshop. They demanded fixing a category of the home-based works at first before raising the issue of minimum wages. They also called for forming provident fund for the home-based workers immediately as fixing a minimum wage is a long process. Badruddoza Nizam, general secretary of Garment Tailors Workers League, Selim Reza, coordinator of Homenet Bangladesh, and Abdul Mukit Khan, president of International Free Trade Union Congress, also spoke on the occasion.
- Business Report, The Daily Star, November 09, 2006
..
Statistics For home-based workers demanded
If the government takes some initiatives for the development of the home based workers like inclusion of them into Bangladesh’ Statistics Record and providing policy support they can be self reliant through contributing to the national economy.
It was demanded at a daylong workshop titled Statistics for women home Based workshop at the head office of Sanirvor Bangladesh at Lalmatia in the city on Tuesday.
Bangladesh Homework women Association (BHWA)And Home net Bangladesh (HNB) arranged the work shop in association with United Nations Development Fund for Women.
Home based workers leader and Secretary of Bangladesh Home workers women Association (BHWA) Dilruba Anguri was present as the chief discussant.
Working president of Bangladesh free Trade Union Congress A A Mukit Khan and trade union leader Bangladesh Nizam, Fazlul Haque and Coordinatorof Home Net Bangladesh Selim Reza also spoke on the occasion.In his speech, Badruddoza Nizam said “when our neighboring country India has taken some pragmatic initiatives for the development home based workers then our home based workers are lagging behind due to lack of facilities.”
“If we are able to take some in some initiatives especially designed keeping in view the socio economic back ground of the home based workers we can improve in some sectors like reduction of child labour ,” he also said.
Speakers said Bangladesh has been experiencing population sector needs encourage and support so that it can help remove unemployment from the country that is creating a great threat to the development of our socio economic condition.
A total of 45 home based workers leaders across the country and representatives of the governments organization and NGOs and trade union leaders attended the workshop.
Workers who produce products at their homes and favorite places without control of any ownership are called home based workers. BHWA, an NGO is now working country wide with a view to improving socio-economic conditions of home based workers.- Source: The News Today, 1 November, 2006
.
I. BHWA conducted a 2-day Workshop on Homebased Workers and National Policy in Dhaka on 25th-26th January 2003. Its theme was to devise a mechanism to frame a National Policy on homebased workers. Various aspects of organization, marketing and training were discussed and debated. A few major areas that needed attention were identified. >> A major improvement is required in government attitude and support for the cause of Homebased workers.>> There is a need to identify and organize all homebased workers in the country for more efficient sharing of resources and benefits.>> Memorandum drafted for Labor Ministry to finalize National Policy as soon as possible.
II. On 7th April 2003, BHWA organized a daylong discussion meet of HomeNet Bangladesh delegates at the BHWA Auditorium in Dhaka. The meeting demanded trade union rights for HBWs, inclusion of HBWs in the Labour code being finalized and provision of state facilities for the Homeworkers. Leaders of different organizations in the country who are part of the HomeNet network took part in the meeting. This meeting also passed draft proposals for the activities to be conducted in the forthcoming year.
III. On 26th April, BHWA organized an information seminar on DRY FLOWERS AND EXTRA INCOME. Ms. Rina Rehman, a training teacher on this subject and a member of BHWA gave a lecture to all the participants. She also gave a demonstration of the process of making these products and how this knowledge can help women improve their status and become a financially independent and self-sufficient individual.
IV. On the occasion of Labour Day (1st May), BHWA and HOMENET, Bangladesh had jointly arranged for a 4-day exhibition-cum-sale (2nd-5th May) showcasing various types of handiwork created exclusively by home based women workers and assimilated from all over the country.
V. On June 8th, 2003, BHWA obtained registration as a trade union under the Trade related notification of 1969. This association could now fight for trade union rights on behalf of its member homeworker associations. This was the first time that workers in the informal sector have got Trade Union status in Bangladesh.
VI. On August 30th-31st, BHWA conducted a 2-day workshop on Health, Safety and Social protection issues affecting women homebased workers in Bangladesh. The major concerns listed by the participants include protection from occupational hazards and safe working environment, medical treatment and expenditure reimbursement facilities, social protection measures such as retirement benefits, savings schemes, micro-credit, legal assistance etc. All the above provisions need to be included in the National Policy for Homeworkers.
VII. On the 5th-6th of September 2003, Bangladesh Homeworkers Women's Association (BHWA) had organized a 2-day Homebased women workers' Handicraft mela. The mela was inaugurated by Mr. Abdul Matlub Ahmed, Chairman, NITOL-NILOY Group. His speech on the occasion outlined the excellent quality of the products displayed at the stalls. He stressed on the export potential of these products and said that the need of the hour was to explore the export market for better realizations and complete the necessary formalities (paperwork, permissions etc.) so that the women homeworkers could reap immediate benefits. The mela had around 80 stalls selling various types of handicrafts and food items with approximately 75 % of these stalls displaying products made in the rural districts of Bangladesh. For most of them, this was the first exposure to the consumer market in Dhaka. All these women were indeed overwhelmed by the enthusiastic consumer response from the mela. By the 6th evening, most of them had empty stalls and overflowing cash registers.
Matia Banu is a housewife. She has opted for working as a home-based worker to earn some extra money for her family. Making various types of cakes is her job, a sub-contractual one for which she has been assigned by a city super chain shop. But Matia has been unhappy over the years as she is denied a price fair proportionately with her hard labour and time. "I work at home during my leisure time, though. Whatever the amount I get as wage is considered as an extra income. But it's not enough because the job is laborious and time-consuming as well," Matia grumbles. There are thousands of Matias here and there. These home-based workers are often denied fair wages for jobs due to lack of a national wage policy recognising such workers' contribution to the country's economy. The observation came yesterday at a workshop on Minimum Wages for Home-based Workers at the Swanirbhar Bangladesh auditorium in Dhaka. Bangladesh Women Home-workers Association (BWHA) and Homenet Bangladesh in association with United Nations Development Fund for Women organised the workshop. Speaking on the occasion, Dilruba Anguri, general secretary of BWHA, quoting the Home Work Convention 1996 of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) said a person who produces different components of a product or a whole product in his own home for money on a contract is regarded as home worker. Referring to the Clause 3 in the ILO Convention that laid emphasis on formulation and implementation of national policies for development of the home workers, Dilruba lamented that no government paid any heed to the matter in the last 10 years. "The need for a national wage policy is urgent because it would help mitigate the deprivation of the home workers, many of whom produce exportable quality goods," she observed. She demanded the government should ratify the ILO Home Work Convention 1996 to protect the home-based industry. Touhidur Rahman Rony, president of the Garment Industry Workers Federation, announced at the workshop that a series of programmes would be chalked out to press home a wage security for the home-based workers. He also made a clarion call to organise dialogues with small entrepreneurs, including Grammen Bank and Aarong, to fix a minimum wage for the home-based workers. Addressing as the chief guest, Mahmud Hasan Khan Babu, director of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), asked for ensuring social security, healthcare and facilities for the home-based workers. He also suggested that adequate opportunities be made for the home workers to participate in different exhibitions and fairs, which might directly help them to get fair prices of their products. Representatives from different organisations in Gazipur, Tangail, Shirajganj, Barisal, Khulna, Chuadanga and other areas of the country took part in the workshop. They demanded fixing a category of the home-based works at first before raising the issue of minimum wages. They also called for forming provident fund for the home-based workers immediately as fixing a minimum wage is a long process. Badruddoza Nizam, general secretary of Garment Tailors Workers League, Selim Reza, coordinator of Homenet Bangladesh, and Abdul Mukit Khan, president of International Free Trade Union Congress, also spoke on the occasion.
- Business Report, The Daily Star, November 09, 2006
..
Statistics For home-based workers demanded
If the government takes some initiatives for the development of the home based workers like inclusion of them into Bangladesh’ Statistics Record and providing policy support they can be self reliant through contributing to the national economy.
It was demanded at a daylong workshop titled Statistics for women home Based workshop at the head office of Sanirvor Bangladesh at Lalmatia in the city on Tuesday.
Bangladesh Homework women Association (BHWA)And Home net Bangladesh (HNB) arranged the work shop in association with United Nations Development Fund for Women.
Home based workers leader and Secretary of Bangladesh Home workers women Association (BHWA) Dilruba Anguri was present as the chief discussant.
Working president of Bangladesh free Trade Union Congress A A Mukit Khan and trade union leader Bangladesh Nizam, Fazlul Haque and Coordinatorof Home Net Bangladesh Selim Reza also spoke on the occasion.In his speech, Badruddoza Nizam said “when our neighboring country India has taken some pragmatic initiatives for the development home based workers then our home based workers are lagging behind due to lack of facilities.”
“If we are able to take some in some initiatives especially designed keeping in view the socio economic back ground of the home based workers we can improve in some sectors like reduction of child labour ,” he also said.
Speakers said Bangladesh has been experiencing population sector needs encourage and support so that it can help remove unemployment from the country that is creating a great threat to the development of our socio economic condition.
A total of 45 home based workers leaders across the country and representatives of the governments organization and NGOs and trade union leaders attended the workshop.
Workers who produce products at their homes and favorite places without control of any ownership are called home based workers. BHWA, an NGO is now working country wide with a view to improving socio-economic conditions of home based workers.- Source: The News Today, 1 November, 2006
.
I. BHWA conducted a 2-day Workshop on Homebased Workers and National Policy in Dhaka on 25th-26th January 2003. Its theme was to devise a mechanism to frame a National Policy on homebased workers. Various aspects of organization, marketing and training were discussed and debated. A few major areas that needed attention were identified. >> A major improvement is required in government attitude and support for the cause of Homebased workers.>> There is a need to identify and organize all homebased workers in the country for more efficient sharing of resources and benefits.>> Memorandum drafted for Labor Ministry to finalize National Policy as soon as possible.
II. On 7th April 2003, BHWA organized a daylong discussion meet of HomeNet Bangladesh delegates at the BHWA Auditorium in Dhaka. The meeting demanded trade union rights for HBWs, inclusion of HBWs in the Labour code being finalized and provision of state facilities for the Homeworkers. Leaders of different organizations in the country who are part of the HomeNet network took part in the meeting. This meeting also passed draft proposals for the activities to be conducted in the forthcoming year.
III. On 26th April, BHWA organized an information seminar on DRY FLOWERS AND EXTRA INCOME. Ms. Rina Rehman, a training teacher on this subject and a member of BHWA gave a lecture to all the participants. She also gave a demonstration of the process of making these products and how this knowledge can help women improve their status and become a financially independent and self-sufficient individual.
IV. On the occasion of Labour Day (1st May), BHWA and HOMENET, Bangladesh had jointly arranged for a 4-day exhibition-cum-sale (2nd-5th May) showcasing various types of handiwork created exclusively by home based women workers and assimilated from all over the country.
V. On June 8th, 2003, BHWA obtained registration as a trade union under the Trade related notification of 1969. This association could now fight for trade union rights on behalf of its member homeworker associations. This was the first time that workers in the informal sector have got Trade Union status in Bangladesh.
VI. On August 30th-31st, BHWA conducted a 2-day workshop on Health, Safety and Social protection issues affecting women homebased workers in Bangladesh. The major concerns listed by the participants include protection from occupational hazards and safe working environment, medical treatment and expenditure reimbursement facilities, social protection measures such as retirement benefits, savings schemes, micro-credit, legal assistance etc. All the above provisions need to be included in the National Policy for Homeworkers.
VII. On the 5th-6th of September 2003, Bangladesh Homeworkers Women's Association (BHWA) had organized a 2-day Homebased women workers' Handicraft mela. The mela was inaugurated by Mr. Abdul Matlub Ahmed, Chairman, NITOL-NILOY Group. His speech on the occasion outlined the excellent quality of the products displayed at the stalls. He stressed on the export potential of these products and said that the need of the hour was to explore the export market for better realizations and complete the necessary formalities (paperwork, permissions etc.) so that the women homeworkers could reap immediate benefits. The mela had around 80 stalls selling various types of handicrafts and food items with approximately 75 % of these stalls displaying products made in the rural districts of Bangladesh. For most of them, this was the first exposure to the consumer market in Dhaka. All these women were indeed overwhelmed by the enthusiastic consumer response from the mela. By the 6th evening, most of them had empty stalls and overflowing cash registers.
The International Labour Organization
a) The International Labour Organization (ILO)
On June 21st, 1996, the International Labour organization (ILO) adopted a convention, supplemented by a Recommendation on HOME WORK. This was a great victory for homeworkers because it marked international recognition that they are an important part of the workforce and, like any other workers, are entitled to rights which enable them to make a decent living from their employment.The ILO has it's headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland and is the part of the United Nations that deals with employment issues. Every year, it holds a conference attended by delegations from employers' organizations, trade unions and govt. representatives from over 170 countries of the world.
When the ILO adopts a convention, this becomes an internationally recognized standard, laying down minimum terms and conditions which governments who ratify it are bound to follow. "Ratifying" a Convention is like signing an international treaty. The Recommendation, as the name implies, gives detailed guidelines for the implementation of the shorter convention.
The CONVENTION ON HOMEWORK lays down the principle of equal treatment for homeworkers. At its heart is the clause that governments should adopt a National Policy on Homework ensuring they have appropriate laws and regulations, policies and programs to bring about this equal treatment.
This means that homeworkers should be entitled to a decent wage; social security protection for when they are sick, old or cannot work; maternity benefits; old age pensions and that their health and safety should not be endangered by their work. Homeworkers are entitled to the right to organize. Governments should ensure that homeworkers are counted in official surveys.
It will not be easy to ensure that millions of women homeworkers around the world receive these rights in practice. The adoption of the convention is only a first, important step. Now we have to campaign for ratification of the Convention by our government, or at least adoption of a National Policy, minimum wages and social security protection. We have to see that homeworkers are represented in different bodies in each country and that programs are introduced to improve their living and working conditions.
^^ TOP ^^
..
b) Home Net South Asia
Homebased work is not a new phenomenon in South Asia. Traditional homebased work has been carried out in these countries since generations. This work which was mostly carried out by women included embroidery work, shawl making, crafts making etc. Women in different parts of the region are still doing this, both in rural and urban areas. The homebased industry, even though invisible in the official statistics, provides livelihood to a large number of people.
There are a number of institutions that have been working to organize these homebased workers so that they can themselves improve their working conditions as well as access their rights as workers. These institutions work under some critical constraints that are specific to this sector. These are >> Lack of established policy - Till today, there is no clear policy directive which includes homebased workers in any of the South Asian countries. While India has been able to draft a policy with regard to Homebased workers, this is far from being implemented. The other South Asian countries are yet to take a stand. >> No fixed working hours since work at home cannot be regulated. >> Very low piece-rate wages compared to the same work carried out in the formal workplace.>> Exploitation by contractors & middlemen. >> Unhealthy working conditions>> No social security or other benefits>> Legally invisible workforce, hence no recognition of their work or their economic worth.
Following the adoption of the ILO Convention, a workshop was organized in Ahmedabad, India by SEWA, in December 1997, the main theme of which was grassroots organizing of homebased workers. Participants from South Asian countries viz. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal attended the workshop. The primary basis for discussions was the fact that homebased workers of the South Asian region face very similar problems and the pattern of the homebased work is also similar. Hence the need for an integrated approach to solve their problems. A strong need to have a regional network that could strengthen their movement was felt. Since the conditions are similar within the countries of the South Asian region, a common strategy could be developed in relation to the issues such as minimum wages, social security, health protection, marketing and statistical surveys of homebased workers.
For developing and strengthening the South Asia network, it was necessary to have a common strategy at the regional level for various homeworker issues with each member country working out individual mechanisms for practical organizing at the grassroots. The South Asian network would meet on an annual basis to ensure regular exchange of information and 6 member countries (viz. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bhutan) would be part of this network.
Additional advantages of having a regional network are as follows;1) The countries of this region have extremely porous borders and illegal immigration of workers is rampant. And in very many cases, a number of unorganized homebased workers are also non-nationals, particularly in areas close to the border towns. Multi-country intervention therefore again becomes more effective since the issue is also one that has cross-country implications.2) Very soon in the future, trade and labor practices could well be governed by SAARC agreements. Given the fact that certain agreements do already exist at the SAARC level, this can be advantageous to those who would like to use these agreements to leverage policy implementation.3) Similarly, multinational agreements such as GATT & WTO and multinational agencies such as ILO, World Bank, UNDP etc. have global and regional policies that influence national policies in South Asia. A regional forum can work towards advocacy, networking and lobbying and ensuring accountability for all the above. 4) The policy environment within the region is fairly similar, given the history of the sub-continent. Hence sharing and cross-fertilization of ideas and experiences across these countries will help to strengthen the individual organizations in the long run.
5) With growing liberalization of economic policies of governments of the region, a large number of multinational corporations are entering the market in this region, both for purposes of selling their goods and more critically, for employing cheap labor. In order to influence the policies of these concerns, advocacy and other efforts have to be addressed at different levels and in all countries of the region.
Proposed activities of the member networks will include advocacy and program thrusts in the following areas
>> Adoption of NATIONAL POLICY for homebased workers>> SOCIAL SECURITY for homebased workers>> IDENTIFICATION of homebased workers through national statistical systems>> ORGANIZING homebased workers & strengthening the ongoing initiatives in this regard>> FACILITATING DIRECT ENTRY into local and global markets
( SOURCE - "Towards Building HomeNet South Asia", a report )
On June 21st, 1996, the International Labour organization (ILO) adopted a convention, supplemented by a Recommendation on HOME WORK. This was a great victory for homeworkers because it marked international recognition that they are an important part of the workforce and, like any other workers, are entitled to rights which enable them to make a decent living from their employment.The ILO has it's headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland and is the part of the United Nations that deals with employment issues. Every year, it holds a conference attended by delegations from employers' organizations, trade unions and govt. representatives from over 170 countries of the world.
When the ILO adopts a convention, this becomes an internationally recognized standard, laying down minimum terms and conditions which governments who ratify it are bound to follow. "Ratifying" a Convention is like signing an international treaty. The Recommendation, as the name implies, gives detailed guidelines for the implementation of the shorter convention.
The CONVENTION ON HOMEWORK lays down the principle of equal treatment for homeworkers. At its heart is the clause that governments should adopt a National Policy on Homework ensuring they have appropriate laws and regulations, policies and programs to bring about this equal treatment.
This means that homeworkers should be entitled to a decent wage; social security protection for when they are sick, old or cannot work; maternity benefits; old age pensions and that their health and safety should not be endangered by their work. Homeworkers are entitled to the right to organize. Governments should ensure that homeworkers are counted in official surveys.
It will not be easy to ensure that millions of women homeworkers around the world receive these rights in practice. The adoption of the convention is only a first, important step. Now we have to campaign for ratification of the Convention by our government, or at least adoption of a National Policy, minimum wages and social security protection. We have to see that homeworkers are represented in different bodies in each country and that programs are introduced to improve their living and working conditions.
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b) Home Net South Asia
Homebased work is not a new phenomenon in South Asia. Traditional homebased work has been carried out in these countries since generations. This work which was mostly carried out by women included embroidery work, shawl making, crafts making etc. Women in different parts of the region are still doing this, both in rural and urban areas. The homebased industry, even though invisible in the official statistics, provides livelihood to a large number of people.
There are a number of institutions that have been working to organize these homebased workers so that they can themselves improve their working conditions as well as access their rights as workers. These institutions work under some critical constraints that are specific to this sector. These are >> Lack of established policy - Till today, there is no clear policy directive which includes homebased workers in any of the South Asian countries. While India has been able to draft a policy with regard to Homebased workers, this is far from being implemented. The other South Asian countries are yet to take a stand. >> No fixed working hours since work at home cannot be regulated. >> Very low piece-rate wages compared to the same work carried out in the formal workplace.>> Exploitation by contractors & middlemen. >> Unhealthy working conditions>> No social security or other benefits>> Legally invisible workforce, hence no recognition of their work or their economic worth.
Following the adoption of the ILO Convention, a workshop was organized in Ahmedabad, India by SEWA, in December 1997, the main theme of which was grassroots organizing of homebased workers. Participants from South Asian countries viz. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal attended the workshop. The primary basis for discussions was the fact that homebased workers of the South Asian region face very similar problems and the pattern of the homebased work is also similar. Hence the need for an integrated approach to solve their problems. A strong need to have a regional network that could strengthen their movement was felt. Since the conditions are similar within the countries of the South Asian region, a common strategy could be developed in relation to the issues such as minimum wages, social security, health protection, marketing and statistical surveys of homebased workers.
For developing and strengthening the South Asia network, it was necessary to have a common strategy at the regional level for various homeworker issues with each member country working out individual mechanisms for practical organizing at the grassroots. The South Asian network would meet on an annual basis to ensure regular exchange of information and 6 member countries (viz. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bhutan) would be part of this network.
Additional advantages of having a regional network are as follows;1) The countries of this region have extremely porous borders and illegal immigration of workers is rampant. And in very many cases, a number of unorganized homebased workers are also non-nationals, particularly in areas close to the border towns. Multi-country intervention therefore again becomes more effective since the issue is also one that has cross-country implications.2) Very soon in the future, trade and labor practices could well be governed by SAARC agreements. Given the fact that certain agreements do already exist at the SAARC level, this can be advantageous to those who would like to use these agreements to leverage policy implementation.3) Similarly, multinational agreements such as GATT & WTO and multinational agencies such as ILO, World Bank, UNDP etc. have global and regional policies that influence national policies in South Asia. A regional forum can work towards advocacy, networking and lobbying and ensuring accountability for all the above. 4) The policy environment within the region is fairly similar, given the history of the sub-continent. Hence sharing and cross-fertilization of ideas and experiences across these countries will help to strengthen the individual organizations in the long run.
5) With growing liberalization of economic policies of governments of the region, a large number of multinational corporations are entering the market in this region, both for purposes of selling their goods and more critically, for employing cheap labor. In order to influence the policies of these concerns, advocacy and other efforts have to be addressed at different levels and in all countries of the region.
Proposed activities of the member networks will include advocacy and program thrusts in the following areas
>> Adoption of NATIONAL POLICY for homebased workers>> SOCIAL SECURITY for homebased workers>> IDENTIFICATION of homebased workers through national statistical systems>> ORGANIZING homebased workers & strengthening the ongoing initiatives in this regard>> FACILITATING DIRECT ENTRY into local and global markets
( SOURCE - "Towards Building HomeNet South Asia", a report )
power of woman bangladesh
In this path breaking study, social economist Naila Kabeer examines the lives of Bangladeshi garment workers to shed light on the question of what constitutes “fair” competition in international trade. While Bangladesh is generally considered a poor, conservative Muslim country, with a long tradition of female seclusion, women here have entered factories to take their place as a prominent, first generation, industrial labor force. On the other hand, in Britain's modern and secular society with its long tradition of female industrial employment, Bangladeshi women are largely concentrated in home-based piece work for the garment industry.
This book draws on testimonies of both groups concerning their experiences at work and the impact these have on their lives generally to explain such paradoxes. Kabeer argues that any attempt to devise acceptable labour standards at the international level which takes no account of the forces of inclusion and exclusion within local labour markets is likely to represent the interests of powerful losers in international trade at the expense of weak winners.“A fascinating study of how women workers at two geographic poles of the global garment industry view their lives and work. Textured, ethically probing and challenging—a must read for anyone concerned about the impact of globalization on workers.“— Gita Sen, Professor, Indian Institute of Management“Kabeer has provided valuable statistical data and informative personal testimonies on the lives of an often neglected section of women workers.” – Socialist Review
Naila Kabeer is a Fellow at the Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex. She has worked extensively on issues related to gender and development in Bangladesh, India and Vietnam. She is the author of Reversed Realities: Gender Hierachies in Development Thought, also from Verso.
This book draws on testimonies of both groups concerning their experiences at work and the impact these have on their lives generally to explain such paradoxes. Kabeer argues that any attempt to devise acceptable labour standards at the international level which takes no account of the forces of inclusion and exclusion within local labour markets is likely to represent the interests of powerful losers in international trade at the expense of weak winners.“A fascinating study of how women workers at two geographic poles of the global garment industry view their lives and work. Textured, ethically probing and challenging—a must read for anyone concerned about the impact of globalization on workers.“— Gita Sen, Professor, Indian Institute of Management“Kabeer has provided valuable statistical data and informative personal testimonies on the lives of an often neglected section of women workers.” – Socialist Review
Naila Kabeer is a Fellow at the Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex. She has worked extensively on issues related to gender and development in Bangladesh, India and Vietnam. She is the author of Reversed Realities: Gender Hierachies in Development Thought, also from Verso.
Garment workers in Bangladesh
Bangladesh has been one of the main beneficiaries of the quota system of the Multi Fibre Agreement (MFA). The rise of the export-oriented Ready-Made Garment (RMG) industry has been a major result of trade liberalisation in Bangladesh. The industry currently employs 1.5 million workers, the majority of whom are women. It has been a major source of employment for rural migrant women in a country that has increasingly limited rural livelihood options, and where women migrants have been largely excluded from formal work in the cities.
The growth of the industry has been promoted through: (a) the introduction of international quotas and the associated phenomenon of quota-hopping which supported the transfer of production and marketing expertise from Korea; and (b) the adoption of national export-oriented strategies which put direct export incentive schemes in place and simultaneously encouraged foreign direct investment through the establishment of Export Processing Zones (EPZs). While 5% of the several thousand export-oriented factories in Bangladesh are joint ventures based in EPZs (‘bideshi’ factories), 95% are ‘bangla’ factories set up outside EPZs -- many by those Bangladeshi entrepreneurs who were trained as management staff in Korea.
Women workers offer a low-cost and compliant labour force that allows the garment industry to compete in the global market. In spite of Bangladesh’s ban on trade unions in the Export Processing Zones (EPZs), the EPZ’s working conditions seem to be superior to that of other factories, but only 12% of the garment workers are employed there. EPZ and ‘bangla’ firms in Dhaka that deal more directly with international buyers are more susceptible to pressures to abide by labour codes and standards. Dhaka firms which subcontract, deal with the informal economy and have weaker links with major external buyers are much less susceptible.
This study explores the poverty implications of the export-oriented garment sector by undertaking a comparison of women workers in the export garment industry and those working for the domestic market. This allows an assessment of the benefits accrued from the liberalized economy versus the non-traded sectors. The 1322 women workers surveyed come from: (a) EPZ garment factories; (b) non-EPZ export-oriented garment factories; (c) self-employed workers; and (d) non-garment workers supplying the domestic market.
With the exception of EPZs which employ better off women and pay the highest wages with the best conditions, the garment export industry has directly benefited women from the poorer section of the rural population through employment opportunities. This has reduced marginalisation of women who were previously excluded from formal sector jobs and confined to a limited number of occupations. Many of these women have entered the workforce for the first time rather having come from other sectors. Dhaka ‘bangla’ factory garment workers were able to contribute to their own and other family members’ basic needs. Though they earned less than self-employed women, they earned higher than the “other” wage group outside of the garment industry. Remittances from garment workers also created redistribution from city to countryside and helped to raise the status of women in their families and communities.
However, the export-oriented garment industry does not represent an unambiguous improvement in working conditions compared to the rest of the economy. It has a high turnover rate. These women are a source of exploited labour and work intensely for a period of time and then move on, only to be replaced by a continuous supply of young women from the country side. The health toll and conflicts with married life makes the garment industry unsustainable over the long run. Nevertheless, those who become well-off have the opportunity to start their own businesses later, and women have been able to change their role as dependents in an unprecedented manner through the growth of the garment industry. This has created a more visible significance of women as economic contributors to their families.
Prior to the phasing out of the MFA, there were predications that up to 2 million women garment workers could lose their jobs, both through an absolute decline in markets and through technological upgrading in an attempt to compete (which would result in a transfer of jobs from women to men who have greater access to skills training). However, in defiance of predictions, the mass layoffs have not materialized and, in fact, since the lifting of quotas, garment exports from Bangladesh have grown by half a billion dollars, with most of the increased sales in the US market.
Naila Kabeer and Simeen Mahmud, ‘Rags, Riches and Women Workers: Export Oriented
The growth of the industry has been promoted through: (a) the introduction of international quotas and the associated phenomenon of quota-hopping which supported the transfer of production and marketing expertise from Korea; and (b) the adoption of national export-oriented strategies which put direct export incentive schemes in place and simultaneously encouraged foreign direct investment through the establishment of Export Processing Zones (EPZs). While 5% of the several thousand export-oriented factories in Bangladesh are joint ventures based in EPZs (‘bideshi’ factories), 95% are ‘bangla’ factories set up outside EPZs -- many by those Bangladeshi entrepreneurs who were trained as management staff in Korea.
Women workers offer a low-cost and compliant labour force that allows the garment industry to compete in the global market. In spite of Bangladesh’s ban on trade unions in the Export Processing Zones (EPZs), the EPZ’s working conditions seem to be superior to that of other factories, but only 12% of the garment workers are employed there. EPZ and ‘bangla’ firms in Dhaka that deal more directly with international buyers are more susceptible to pressures to abide by labour codes and standards. Dhaka firms which subcontract, deal with the informal economy and have weaker links with major external buyers are much less susceptible.
This study explores the poverty implications of the export-oriented garment sector by undertaking a comparison of women workers in the export garment industry and those working for the domestic market. This allows an assessment of the benefits accrued from the liberalized economy versus the non-traded sectors. The 1322 women workers surveyed come from: (a) EPZ garment factories; (b) non-EPZ export-oriented garment factories; (c) self-employed workers; and (d) non-garment workers supplying the domestic market.
With the exception of EPZs which employ better off women and pay the highest wages with the best conditions, the garment export industry has directly benefited women from the poorer section of the rural population through employment opportunities. This has reduced marginalisation of women who were previously excluded from formal sector jobs and confined to a limited number of occupations. Many of these women have entered the workforce for the first time rather having come from other sectors. Dhaka ‘bangla’ factory garment workers were able to contribute to their own and other family members’ basic needs. Though they earned less than self-employed women, they earned higher than the “other” wage group outside of the garment industry. Remittances from garment workers also created redistribution from city to countryside and helped to raise the status of women in their families and communities.
However, the export-oriented garment industry does not represent an unambiguous improvement in working conditions compared to the rest of the economy. It has a high turnover rate. These women are a source of exploited labour and work intensely for a period of time and then move on, only to be replaced by a continuous supply of young women from the country side. The health toll and conflicts with married life makes the garment industry unsustainable over the long run. Nevertheless, those who become well-off have the opportunity to start their own businesses later, and women have been able to change their role as dependents in an unprecedented manner through the growth of the garment industry. This has created a more visible significance of women as economic contributors to their families.
Prior to the phasing out of the MFA, there were predications that up to 2 million women garment workers could lose their jobs, both through an absolute decline in markets and through technological upgrading in an attempt to compete (which would result in a transfer of jobs from women to men who have greater access to skills training). However, in defiance of predictions, the mass layoffs have not materialized and, in fact, since the lifting of quotas, garment exports from Bangladesh have grown by half a billion dollars, with most of the increased sales in the US market.
Naila Kabeer and Simeen Mahmud, ‘Rags, Riches and Women Workers: Export Oriented
http://www.bhwa.net
Bangladesh Homeworkers Women Association (BHWA) is an NGO working with women homebased workers in the country since 1986 towards improving their socio-economic status. Our activities encompass all aspects of developmental work related to women homeworkers in our country. Along with our fight for worker rights issues, we also work towards increased awareness and financial independence for women homeworkers in collaboration with like-minded international agencies (HomeNet South Asia, UNIFEM etc.)Ms. Dilruba Anguri, General Secretary, BHWA, has been working in this sector for a
long time. A homeworker is the first to arise in the morning and the last to go to sleep at night. During the day, she has to finish all the duties involved in running a household as well as do other homebased work that will give her some additional income. A home worker's contribution to the social and economic development of the nation cannot be overlooked. Her hard work is not given due recognition and value. Homeworkers are a neglected group in Bangladesh. Many organizations including the ITGLWF and its member trade union organizations have been supporting us in our effort towards getting due recognition for the homeworker by requesting the government to include homebased women workers in it's new LABOUR CODE and adopt a NATIONAL POLICY (based on the ILO HOMEWORK CONVENTION 1996) on home based workers to ensure better justice and representation to their cause. Unfortunately, government support and recognition has not been forthcoming in spite of the immense potential of this sector in terms of export earnings. Homeworkers are a neglected group in Bangladesh. BHWA has repeatedly presented statistics to show that though individual homeworker contributions might be negligible, the vast numbers of homeworkers make the total contribution to the national economy quite substantial.Given the poor financial and economic status of the majority population in our country, women are increasingly looking towards some alternate source of income to supplement the wages that the male earning member brings in. However, they cannot afford to overlook their primary responsibility of managing the household and the children. So, working from home provides them with the best of both worlds, allowing them to utilize their skills to earn money and keep an eye on the household at the same time. They can also allocate time to all the duties at their convenience. Creating various handicrafts from a wide range of raw materials available locally, these hard working women also need to look for appropriate outlets for their products. Whatever they earn from their work is very often instrumental in giving their children a better education than they had or for family medical expenses. Thus their children will hopefully be physically and mentally better equipped to improve their living standards.In the current economic scenario, globalization has meant that many big business houses and factories have been shut down because they were unable to cope with the various difficulties arising from globalization. BHWA firmly believes that their motto, "MY HOME, MY WORKPLACE " is an idea that will help combat the future labour and economic problems faced by the country. If the government can equip and fund every home as a workplace, then unemployment caused by closure of factories can be dealt with effectively. And, as a result, the country's economic downslide can be prevented.
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Bangladesh Homeworker Women's Association (BHWA)House No. 11, Road No. 6, Dhanmondi R/A, Dhaka 1205, BangladeshPhone - +88-01720599001, Fax - +88-02-9664557Email - bhwa_bd@yahoo.com
long time. A homeworker is the first to arise in the morning and the last to go to sleep at night. During the day, she has to finish all the duties involved in running a household as well as do other homebased work that will give her some additional income. A home worker's contribution to the social and economic development of the nation cannot be overlooked. Her hard work is not given due recognition and value. Homeworkers are a neglected group in Bangladesh. Many organizations including the ITGLWF and its member trade union organizations have been supporting us in our effort towards getting due recognition for the homeworker by requesting the government to include homebased women workers in it's new LABOUR CODE and adopt a NATIONAL POLICY (based on the ILO HOMEWORK CONVENTION 1996) on home based workers to ensure better justice and representation to their cause. Unfortunately, government support and recognition has not been forthcoming in spite of the immense potential of this sector in terms of export earnings. Homeworkers are a neglected group in Bangladesh. BHWA has repeatedly presented statistics to show that though individual homeworker contributions might be negligible, the vast numbers of homeworkers make the total contribution to the national economy quite substantial.Given the poor financial and economic status of the majority population in our country, women are increasingly looking towards some alternate source of income to supplement the wages that the male earning member brings in. However, they cannot afford to overlook their primary responsibility of managing the household and the children. So, working from home provides them with the best of both worlds, allowing them to utilize their skills to earn money and keep an eye on the household at the same time. They can also allocate time to all the duties at their convenience. Creating various handicrafts from a wide range of raw materials available locally, these hard working women also need to look for appropriate outlets for their products. Whatever they earn from their work is very often instrumental in giving their children a better education than they had or for family medical expenses. Thus their children will hopefully be physically and mentally better equipped to improve their living standards.In the current economic scenario, globalization has meant that many big business houses and factories have been shut down because they were unable to cope with the various difficulties arising from globalization. BHWA firmly believes that their motto, "MY HOME, MY WORKPLACE " is an idea that will help combat the future labour and economic problems faced by the country. If the government can equip and fund every home as a workplace, then unemployment caused by closure of factories can be dealt with effectively. And, as a result, the country's economic downslide can be prevented.
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Bangladesh Homeworker Women's Association (BHWA)House No. 11, Road No. 6, Dhanmondi R/A, Dhaka 1205, BangladeshPhone - +88-01720599001, Fax - +88-02-9664557Email - bhwa_bd@yahoo.com
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