Networking and women\\\'s rights in RMG sector

Industrialization has opened up a new avenue for young women workers in developing countries especially in garment industries over the period of last 25 years. Predominantly, industrialization process has been forced by the multilateral donor agencies like the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and the United States Agency for International Development. Due to the effect of industrialization, production has been transferred from developed nations to developing countries with a view to creating export-oriented markets where women are offered jobs with a little amount of money. Export-led industries have two kinds of impacts on women workers in third world countries. The women workers are reinforced into lower position both at work and in their society on the one hand, they are also getting opportunity to take part in formal and informal organizations, community and the family on the other hand.

The rural women of Bangladesh primarily go for jobs in RMG sector in terms of low pay, worse conditions and limited promotion aspects. They also work for long hours with overtime and receive irregular wage and bonus payment in the industry. The women workers of RMG industries work hard and engage in daily struggle to get better economic and social status.

In Bangladesh, most of the women workers of RMG come from rural areas for entering the city employment. The workers are working in RMG sector due to the effects of socio-cultural factors especially poverty and unemployment. Some other factors like rapid increase of using machine in harvest operations, sharp increase of rural-urban migrations, female headed households etc are also responsible for increasing women's employment in RMG industries.

The women workers are accustomed to carrying out their duties at an average of 12 hours a day. During the period of deadlines, they have to work more as they are supposed to do normally. They are also abused verbally and physically by the practices of the management. However, women workers are by and large unaware of their rights. In some cases, they make obvious informal signs like shop floor protests, walk-outs and street protests to achieve their rights. But, these forms of revelations are not supportive to endure injustice in the workplace.

After the rapid expansion of RMG sector in Bangladesh, the women workers organized various rallies and street demonstrations to achieve their rights. Even, they called several hartals demanding increase in their salary, avoidance of fatal and accidental death and assurance of friendly working conditions. Last year, around 50,000 garment workers, most of them women, from  400 different factories took part in a grand rally in Dhaka demanding a raise in their minimum salary of Tk 8,000, including other demands such as safety at work, reducing house rent and withdrawing false case against trade union leaders. Based on their demand, their salary has been increased slightly. However, their other demands are yet to be realised.

In order to achieve the rights of women workers in RMG sector, it is needed to create sustainable networking among the women workers, civil society, NGOs, women activists and women's organizations. The women workers of RMG sector can work with various women's groups, trade unions, civil society organizations and NGOs with a view to generating enabled networking to ensure their rights through seminars, conferences and workshops. The networks can demand immediate implementation of industrial and labour laws including minimum wage structure, four months' maternity leave with pay, establishment of day care in factories and separate toilet, rest and pray room for women. For example, the Bangladesh Independent Garment Worker Union Federation (BIGWUF) had been working since 1991 with a variety of strategies in promoting workers rights in RMG sector. Karmojibi Nari (working women), a women-led organization, was established in 1991, working for all women workers, not for just those are engaged in the RMG sector.

To ensure the rights of women garment workers, various women groups and activists are working hard to improve the labour practices through setting a plan of gender equality. Women groups have been working for garment workers to change their status through making strategy paper, and writing regular features which are enhancing the voice of women workers. The women activists have been successful to create mass awareness among the society people about the rights of garment workers as well as women workers.

The writer is an Assistant Professor, Department of Public Administration, University of Rajshahi.

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