According to a report on the prevalence of gender-based violence in the garment supply chain three quarters of women garment workers in Bangladesh stated to have experienced verbal abuse while 20 percent physical abuse.
The report further states that the sexual harassment and abuse, both physical and emotional, that women workers experience every day is endemic. This was revealed during a keynote speech by Runa Laila, at a roundtable on “Social dialogue, gender-based violence and living wage in RMG (present situation and practical solution)”.
Supervisors and line chiefs used bad language if production target remained unmet and masks and ID cards were used only when foreign buyers came to visit.
Towhidur Rahman, secretary general of IndustriALL Bangladesh Council, gave another speech on the necessity of living wages and prospects and Koen Oosterom, country manager, Fair Wear Foundation, the welcome speech.
There were presentations by representatives of partners Bangladesh National Women Lawyers Association, Karmojibi Nari and Awaj Foundation with Shirin Akhter MP as the chief guest at the open discussion.
