Browse by Theme: Dignified Work

“It makes both moral and business sense to be a leader in addressing the problem of gender-based violence and harassment.” These were the words of Scott Deitz, Founder of Convene Communication Strategies and former Vice-President at VF Corporation, as he opened the recent Learning Summit organized by CARE and Better Work.

“I felt humiliated and could not focus on my work after I was harassed by my co-worker. I decided to report to the sexual harassment prevention committee because I trust them.” Pha*, a garment worker in Cambodia, is employed by a factory which has been working with CARE to improve how they respond to reports of workplace sexual harassment. We helped them build an environment where gender-based violence is not tolerated and women are more confident to report incidents of abuse.

By Huong Hoang and Céline Mias

The global fashion industry is one of the most female-dominated industries in the world. It is a goliath of an industry which includes the textile, clothing, and footwear sectors, which is estimated to employ about 60 million to 75 million people, 80% of which are women. Although countless women are behind this US$2.4 trillion industry which, if it were a country, would be the world’s seventh-largest economy, women workers are disproportionately represented. They are, in fact, found heavily concentrated in the most vulnerable and marginalized positions in the industry where they work for poverty wages and under harsh conditions. These women workers often face gender discrimination, exploitation and suffer from the impact of violence and harassment not just in the workplace but in their homes and on their way to and from work.

Women make up approximately half of workers in global value chains, yet their representation in leadership positions is poor. Through the FCDO-funded Work and Opportunities for Women (WOW) programme – of which CARE is an alliance member – M&S is seeking to understand where the women leaders are in their value chains, what are the barriers holding them back, and how M&S can work with their suppliers to help more women progress. This blog shares some of the insights from our research so far.

COVID-19 has become an unprecedented global crisis, affecting everyone - but not equally so. CARE International UK’s new study on COVID-19 and women’s economic justice and rights shows that women and girls are disproportionately affected by the economic effects of global pandemics, especially those in the poorest and most marginalised communities. Women working in garment factories have already lost their jobs, often their households’ only income, while the pandemic is exacerbating other families’ food insecurity. For those living in areas of conflict, COVID-19 is exacerbating an already terrible situation.

The garment industry employs 60 million workers around the world, nearly 75% of whom are women. The International Labour Organization has estimated that nearly 25 million jobs could be lost as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and women working in garment supply chains are particularly vulnerable. During this period of crisis, CARE is calling on brands, governments, supplier factories, trade unions and civil society to take action to protect the rights of women working in the garment industry.

On International Women’s Day, 8 March 2020, advocates for better labour rights, especially for women workers, have been celebrating a major achievement: there is now a new international labour standard that recognises everyone’s right to work free from violence and harassment. Yet nothing will change on the ground for working women and men until governments strengthen laws, and employers improve policies and practices.