Research & Study
Gender-Based Violence in The Local Readymade Factories in Bangladesh
2020
This study investigates the prevalence, causes, and impacts of GBV in local RMG factories, highlighting gaps in worker protection and corporate accountability. This study also assesses women’s and men’s knowledge and perception towards violence against women. It further advocates for stronger policies, safe reporting mechanisms, and the enforcement of labour laws to ensure safe and equitable workplaces for women in Bangladesh’s garment industry.
Key Words: GBV, Local RMG, Helper, VAW
Background
The Ready Made Garments (RMG) industry in Bangladesh has become a significant economic success. The sector has a goal to achieve 50 billion export targets by 2021, covering 8-10% of total apparel exports. The local Readymade Market in Bangladesh has a silent revolution, with over 80% apparel manufacturing units in Keraniganj and 72% of their products sold in the local market. The workforce is predominantly rural male and female, from poor families with limited skills. However, local RMG factories lack formal rules and regulations, denying workers access to essential facilities like contract agreements, standard wages, and leave with payment. Despite their significant contribution to economic growth, no significant initiatives are seen yet for strengthening the local RMG industry. Women workers face gender-based violence (GBV), including rape and sexual harassment, which is a pervasive human rights violation and a profound health problem. Despite the high costs of violence against women, social institutions often legitimize and deny abuse, leading to unreported crimes and weak enforcement of laws.
Objectives
- Identify the form and nature of GBV, along with its prevalence, in the Local RMG industry in Keraniganj.
- Determine the level of knowledge, awareness among the workers about GBV and sexual harassment at workplace.
Key Findings
- GBV against women is extreme, and the working situation is vulnerable in the Keraniganj local RMG sector. Gender relation is a social product and it is constituted within a set of power relation.
- Highly sexualized vocabulary, pinching, expressing illicit proposals and bullying of women workers are very common.
- Most of the female worker are facing sex-based harassment. Female workers are controlled by family members.
Recommendations
- Implement comprehensive workplace regulations on gender-based violence, enforce labor inspections, and standardize worker appointment, payment, and leave facilities.
- Addressing sexual harassment cases is crucial for the country's economic interest, and factory owners must be convinced to provide fair treatment to their employees.
- Networking is a must for reducing women worker's vulnerability. Therefore, one of the key agendas of the trade unions must be to strengthen and extend the network among the workers.
- Advocacy initiatives must be carried out to ensure and implement Bangladesh Labor Law 2006 and its amendment 2013 and the rules published in 2015
The Mini-RMG sector in Bangladesh is a significant economic growth opportunity for low-skilled, poor male and female workers. However, workers face vulnerability due to lack of formal contracts, lack of standard wages, and limited negotiation power. Gender-based violence reinforces exploitation and physical, mental, and social trauma. Women’s roles are changing rapidly, but traditional gender hierarchies still exist. Trade unions are building capacities to address these issues, but lack of verifiable evidence makes it difficult to pursue cases. The lack of formal mechanisms and provisions to combat gender-based violence in factories is crucial for the development of this growing sector.
Publication Details
Date: 2020
Contact
Bangladesh Labour Foundation (BLF)
107 Bir Uttam C.R. Datta Road
Dhaka – 1205
Bangladesh
Related research & study
