Femnet e.V.

This report presents the findings of a legal capacity-building project conducted during 2015-2016 to empower women garment workers in Bengalaru (Bangalore), Karnataka to challenge sexual harassment and violence at work.
This report evidences the high levels of sexual harassment and violence suffered by women garment workers in Bangalore and the failure of current internal grievance procedures to effectively investigate complaints and sanction perpetrators. Following a Roundtable with State policy makers and government officials in March 2016, this report makes 9 concrete recommendations for action to improve implementation of the Prevention of Sexual Harassment Act and to combat the unacceptable levels of sexual harassment and violence suffered by women garment workers on a daily basis. Although focused on one State, the findings and recommendations made in this report have relevance beyond Karnataka given the levels of violence experienced by women garment workers at other garment and textile sector hubs in both Tamil Nadu and Delhi.

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“A lot of things happen, but we cannot talk about it.” These are the words of a young North Indian migrant worker in the southern Indian city of Bangalore, one of many working in the city’s flourishing garment industry. The industry manufactures apparel for some of the world’s leading clothing brands. Yet the conditions under which these young migrant women work are appalling, sometimes even amounting to modern day slavery. Wages in the industry largely meet the official minimum wage standard, but are too low to add up to a decent living wage. Migrant women are often housed in hostels run by their companies and guarded by male security personnel at night. Their movement is severely restricted and they are herded to the factory and back to the hostel as a daily routine.
Most workers are allowed to leave the hostel for only two hours a week. Returning late invites rebuke and sometimes punishment in the form of being made to wait outside the gate for hours till the warden allows them in. Young workers hint at abuse but refuse to speak directly about it for fear of repercussions. The young women have been made to believe that these hostels, the restrictions on their freedom of movement and the presence of male security guards are necessary for their own security in an alien city where they are isolated from the local people.

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Gender-based violence at work is a violation of human rights and a major barrier to decent work and the dignity, safety and security of workers. Gender-based violence and sexual harassment, particularly in the form of violence and verbal abuse against women workers, are common, under-reported and inadequately addressed problems, most frequently found in sectors where women represent the majority of factory or farm workers. Tackling these problems requires appropriate law enforcement systems, effective social dialogue, better awareness among employers, practical workplace initiatives, and strategies to reach and give voice to those workers who are most affected.
The practical strategies suggested in this ITCILO Resource Kit aim to facilitate the implementation of legislation, while also forging new approaches to addressing gender-based violence in the workplace.
The resource kit is meant for a broad audience: from global companies to MSIs and stakeholders as well as trade unions and NGOs.

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The country study provides a picture of the textile and garment industry in Romania, its labour laws, conditions and industrial relations within the industry. It is prepared by collecting information about national laws and local stakeholders’ views on labour issues.

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Ein etwa sechsminütiger Film über Frauen in der Bekleidungsindustrie El Salvadors. Für Interessierte und Multiplikator*innen in der Bildungsarbeit.

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