Leadership training will empower female RMG workers

For four decades, the garment industry has powered Bangladesh's economy and put more people to work than any other sector. Eighty-five per cent of Bangladesh's workforce in readymade garment factories are women. There is no doubt that women in Bangladesh have earned a degree of autonomy and financial independence from their participation in the garment industry. Women, in particular, have benefited from this hiring boom, as today a majority of the industry's four million employees are women.

In contrast, there is a lack of women in leadership positions at trade unions, making it difficult for women to bargain for their rights at work. In view of allegations of frequent harassments by male supervisors, particularly union members, training is needed for women about their rights and roles and to groom them for leadership positions.

Most of these women have similar stories and background. Most were or had been married. Poorly educated, they had to migrate to cities from poverty-stricken households in Bangladesh in search of work to support their families. As the monthly income is very important to them, they go through extreme difficulties to keep their jobs. Some women continue to work and hide their pregnancies as long as possible, out of fear that their supervisors will fire them if they find out.

This also takes an emotional toll. For these issues, two out of five female garment workers exhibit suicidal tendencies. Recently, a leadership training programme has been successfully completed with over 500 female garment workers taking part in it. Training was provided on employment rights and organising skills as well as health and safety issues, pay and working conditions and basic rights under the new labour law, especially related to gender equality and discrimination.

There is also no female participation in garment workers' committee groups. If female workers are included in this committee, they can raise their claim or demand.

I think it is time to change the prevailing status quo in this sector and related sectors. Multinational firms and foreign retailer brands who buy from Bangladeshi RMG factories can make gender equality a requirement. The most important change required is gender-sensitisation initiatives. These can reduce discrimination and violence against women. The garment industry needs to commit itself towards achieving the goal of women's empowerment.

Therefore, I would like to appeal to the concerned quarters to take steps that will ensure that female garment workers acquire leadership skills.

Lamisa Sanjana Hridi,

Bachelor of Business Administration,

East West University.

[email protected]