ILO - International Labour Organization

Purpose

This multi-donor project supports the development of the ready-made garment industry in Bangladesh that employs over 4 million people and is a key contributor to Bangladesh’s economic growth. Designed to drive up the quality of jobs, the project takes a coordinated approach to addressing long-standing challenges facing Bangladesh’s ready-made garment industry and to securing lasting improvements in garment factory working conditions. The project focuses particular attention on improving gender equality and empowerment of women, who constitute 70% of the garment sector workforce and face significant gender equality challenges, including gender segregation, wage differentials, low literacy rates, lack of maternity protection, sexual harassment and gender-based violence, and lack of awareness and advocacy on women’s rights. Project activities include: (1) providing technical support for the timely remediation of 1,500 factories; (2) strengthening government capacity to better regulate industrial safety and establish an effective and gender-sensitive labour inspection system; (3) supporting the development of inclusive occupational safety and health policies and practices; and (4) implementing a scaled-up Better Work Program in Bangladesh, to improve garment sector compliance with international labour standards and competitiveness in global markets.