In Southeast Asia, extreme temperatures are becoming an increasing threat to textile workers. Delivery times of fashion brands and suppliers do not take this into account.
Temperatures of 43°C, no access to water, sanitation and medical care - in the Indian midsummer, the situation is often unbearable for the employees in the production plants. Women report fainting spells, heat rash and infections. In addition, heat-related tiredness and exhaustion pose another risk for women.
Existing measures against the heat and other hazards are usually patriarchal and neglect the specific female safety and health needs.
The FEMNET project Gender-Appropriate Health and Safety at Work develops structures and measures against heat stress and gender-specific risks. Clients and contractors are also held accountable.
In their report, Nandita Shivakumar and Ranjana Sundaresan show how climate change affects textile production.
