Why is dignified work crucial for women’s economic empowerment?
Dignified work enables the economic empowerment of women through promoting decent working conditions, tackling the barriers that women face to achieving equity in the workplace, and supporting women to take control over their wages and unpaid care work.
Women workers face many barriers to economic empowerment inside and outside of the ‘workplace’, including issues at work (such as unequal working conditions), in their homes and communities, and during their commute. These barriers all have an impact on their ability to stay in work, the conditions of their work, and the economic benefits of it for women. Dignified work promotes the economic empowerment of women workers in all spheres of their lives. Find out more in this Insights blog and this video.
Read more
Video
Find out how CARE's Made by Women strategy economically empowers women garment workers in Asia.
You might also be interested in...
Fashion Transparency Index 2020 – find out how the biggest global fashion brands are doing on transparency about 'who made my clothes' – a crucial step towards dignified work in the fashion industry (answer: not very well, but getting better)
What next for Asian garment production after COVID-19? The perspectives of industry stakeholders – analysis by the ILO, including input from CARE, on how the garment industry is expected to change as a result of COVID-19 and the potential impact this will have on workers
COVID-19: Action in the global garment industry – this call, which CARE is a signatory to, aims to catalyse action from across the global garment industry to protect garment workers’ income, health and employment, while also calling for work on sustainable systems of social protection for a more just and resilient garment industry
The civil society shadow European strategy for sustainable textile, garments, leather and footwear – a group of 65 diverse civil society organisations have come together to set out their vision for a fair and sustainable sector
ILO Global Summit on COVID-19 and the World of Work: Building a better future of work – view recordings from the largest ever online summit of workers, employers and government representatives to address the impact of COVID-19 on the world of work
Resources and links
United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights
The Ethical Trading Initiative's code of labour practice and its resources for companies, trade unions and NGOs interested in promoting respect for workers' rights
International Labour Organization (ILO) website including information about the Decent Work Agenda and COVID-19 and the World of Work
International Trade Union Confederation website
Business and Human Rights Resource Centre website
WIEGO: Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing website
Business Fights Poverty website
Better Work website – a collaboration between the United Nation's International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC)