ETI’s gender sensitive workplace programme was initiated in March 2020.

Cultural and traditional factors heavily influence how women are treated and regarded in Bangladesh and issues related to gender-based violence and sexual harassment are culturally sensitive and difficult topics. As is the case in all countries, discussing and working with such issues requires a safe environment in which participants feel secure to speak up. ETI has therefore invested in developing training materials based on inputs received from key stakeholders such as factory management, brand representatives, federation representatives and gender experts. Simultaneously ETI’s own staff members have been receiving capacity building training in both the topic as well as how to pedagogically teach sensitive issues.

While women still make up more than half of all workers in the RMG sector, they continue to be overrepresented in lower-paid positions, with men holding most supervisory roles.

Women run a high risk of being harassed by male colleagues and supervisors, are more likely to be bypassed when workplace rights and issues are discussed and do often not have structures to turn to when it comes to grievances related to gender-based harassment and inequality.

However, besides being a fundamental human right, research has demonstrated that gender equality leads to greater productivity.

Project Goal

Contribute to a gender sensitive workplace in which the standard of conduct and behavior ensures that everyone is being treated with dignity and respect in turn resulting in healthy industrial relations contributing to improved productivity and sustainable growth.

Major Activities

Assessment

  • Baseline & Endline Gender assessment

Capacity Building

  • Training for factory management
  • Training for factory Supervisors
  • Training for factory Anti-Harassment Committee (AHC) members
  • ToT for resource persons
  • Training for Participatory Committee (PC) worker representatives

Advisory Service

  • Guideline & Policy development
  • Formation and activation of AHC
  • Post Training Support

Networking

  • Supplier knowledge and learning sharing meetings

BCC / Awareness

  • BCC / awareness raising campaigns in factories

 Outcomes

  • Female factory employees are empowered by having increased knowledge and awareness of their rights
  • Female representation across various positions within the factory has increased due to capacity building around gender equity.
  • Factories have increased their capacity to institutionalize safeguarding mechanisms against gender-based violence and harassment within the workplace