© SAVE
Mahdu and her little daughter were lucky. In the difficult days of the lockdown, our partner SAVE helped the young family to survive the greatest hardship. But the reopening of textile factories reveals further maladministration, such as the increase in child labour.
On 15 September 2020, FEMNET, together with three activists from India and Bangladesh, held a webinar on the current situation on the ground. They reported easing labour laws in India, increasing child labour and gender-based violence in factories, and fatal contract systems. With their work, they currently support those affected directly with food, but also legal advice. The situation is very serious, but the activists are fighting.
© Initiative Supply Chain Act
Activists of the Supply Chain Act initiative demonstrated today in Berlin. The meeting for a supply chain law has been postponed again. The demonstrators set up an oversized legal framework and symbolically handed over a petition with more than 222,222 signatures to the Federal Chancellery. Together with the alliance of more than 100 civil society organisations, FEMNET is calling for the law to no longer be postponed.
© NGWS
Nazma Akter has been working in a textile factory in Dhaka for five years. After severe pay cuts at the start of the lockdown, she and her family have to live without a salary for two months. Like many other textile workers in Bangladesh, Nazma relies on food donations, which we support with our Corona Emergency Fund.
In the new edition Sustainable economy forum 03/2020, our FAIR WEAR WORKS project manager Marijke Mulder shows in an interview how responsible textile purchasing can become an easy-to-implement component within the company's own supply chain.
The key points for a supply chain law announced for the end of August are being delayed. The reason for this is the continued blockade of Minister of Economic Affairs Peter Altmaier, who is trying to prevent a legal duty of care for companies. An alliance of 100 organizations is calling for an end to this blockade.
© FEMNET
Gender power gaps in the textile industry continue to widen during the coronavirus crisis. FEMNET and our partner organization BCWS in Bangladesh are committed to ending violence against women and support those affected with targeted remedies during the corona crisis.
The range of wage losses for millions of textile workers in the face of cancelled orders and collective redundancies is shown in a recently published report by the Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC). Although the figures are based only on rough calculations, they give an indication of the sums that would be needed to provide for the workers.
Since spring 2020, we have come much closer to a supply chain law. Federal Ministers Heil and Müller have announced that they will present a law. The chancellor and more and more German companies are in favour of this step. However, there is resistance. Minister Altmeier opposes the project in order to protect companies. As part of the Supply Chain Act initiative, we therefore call for joint protest action against this blockade.
© FEMNET
Women and girls are particularly affected by the negative effects of global economies. They are paid less than their male counterparts and experience sexualised violence and harassment in the workplace. In August, the Federal Ministers plan to adopt cornerstones for a supply chain law in the Cabinet. Together with an alliance of 12 human rights and development organisations, we are calling for more gender equality in global supply chains.
