BEPZA encourages women representation in unions

The Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) has taken initiative to encourage workers' welfare associations in all zone's factories to increase female members by 30 per cent for ensuring their representation in the negotiation bodies. The EPZ workers associations have hardly a female in their elected committees though 64 per cent of 273,464 workers in eight zones are women. Officials said the Authority has already sent letters to all eight EPZ offices to inform the enterprises to encourage associations to keep 30 per cent seats of committee members reserved for women. "We have requested the enterprises and counsellors to urge association members to encourage women to be involved in the committees", said General Manager of Dhaka EPZ Mohammad Ashraful Kabir. He said about 80 per cent of the DEPZ's 400 enterprises have now welfare associations. International Finance Corporation, a World Bank arm which works on the special economic zone of the country, has recommended that the Authority increase women participation in all EPZ associations after a study that finds their low representation in different working associations. "As women are found few at the supervisory level though found majority at entry level, the initiative will encourage women to be part of the policy level," said an IFC official The decision will help women develop their leadership quality and improve confidence in going ahead in their profession, the official added. BEPZA officials said most of the EPZ factories already have workers' welfare association after a related law was enacted in 2006 and amended in 2010. According to the 'EPZ Workers Welfare Association and Industrial Relation Act 2010 which came into being in last August, workers of a factory can form a workers' welfare association when they feel for it to deal with employers on various labour right issues. After a few months of the formation of association, workers will go for electing a committee to negotiate and realise various demands from employers. The IFC official said hardly a woman worker has shown her interest in becoming a part of the committee for improving their socio economic status. External studies found that even where workers' associations were allowed, women often lacked interest in union activities.