Sunday, April 24, 2016

Rana Plaza – three years after

The collapse of the Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh in 2013 took the lives of over 1,100 garment workers and highlighted the need to promote decent work in global supply chains. Working closely with the country’s government and its social partners, the ILO has played a leading role in the response to the Rana Plaza tragedy. The following photo report gives an idea about what has been achieved so far and what remains to be done.






 





Source: International Labour Organisation.

Friday, April 4, 2014

Ryder: Rana Plaza legacy must be improved working conditions globally

The ILO Director-General highlights the human cost of poor working conditions and calls for action to ensure the Rana Plaza tragedy is not repeated.


Copenhagen (ILO News) - “Rana Plaza is a call for global action on decent working conditions” International Labour Organization (ILO) Director-General Guy Ryder said at a high-level meeting in Copenhagen on garment and textiles production in Bangladesh.

The Rana Plaza building collapse, in the country’s capital Dhaka in April 2013, claimed the lives of over 1,100 factory workers and injured many more.

“We cannot wait for future disasters before we act to make the worlds’ factories and workplaces safe and decent places to work,” said Ryder at the event, Post Rana Plaza: a Vision for the Future, organized by the Government of Denmark in Copenhagen.

Ryder highlighted action taken with the Government of Bangladesh and employers’ and workers’ organizations, including building and fire safety assessments; labour inspections; and occupational safety and health, rehabilitation and skills training for survivors.

These and other responses were agreed in the Bangladesh National Tripartite Plan of Action (NTPA), in support of which the ILO is implementing a US$24.2 million, three-and-a-half year programme in the country.

International response

Ryder also drew attention to the complementary work of international initiatives including the Accord between more than 150 international brands and retailers with suppliers in Bangladesh, and global unions IndustriALL and UNI Global. The ILO is the neutral chair of the Accord, which covers 1,639 of the 3,498 Bangladesh factories making garments for export.

International coordination was essential, Ryder said, when supply chains in 21st century industry spread across the globe.

“We need to take stock to ensure global supply chains perform safely and in line with internationally respected rights, so that goods, wherever produced, are made in conditions of decent work,” he said.

Work by the Rana Plaza Coordination Committee, set up by the Government of Bangladesh, employers’ and workers’ organizations, garment brands and NGOs to ensure compensation for Rana Plaza survivors and victim’s families is encouraging, Ryder said. However work needs to continue to increase momentum and ensure sufficient funds are raised through the Donors Trust Fund.

Improvements in everyone’s interests

The garment sector in Bangladesh plays a vital role in the country, making a major contribution to current GDP growth of 6 per cent and to significant poverty reduction in recent years.

“The sector needs to be safer and more sustainable, while at the same time maintaining its role in supporting Bangladesh’s legitimate development aspirations,” Ryder said.

“Better working conditions are in everyone’s interests, a safer industry does not mean a less profitable one,” he added.

Earlier in the day Ryder met with the Danish Prime Minister, Helling Thorning-Schmidt who reaffirmed Denmark’s commitment to the ILO and announced additional funding for efforts to improve working conditions in developing countries, including Bangladesh.

“We greatly appreciate the continued cooperation with the Danish government and this additional funding, which will help in concerted efforts to improve working conditions,” Ryder said.

Ryder also met with the Ministers of Employment and of Trade and Development and Danish employer and worker representatives during his visit.

Source: ILO. 03 April 2014

Monday, March 24, 2014

Gadani – A paradise lost to pollution

The Gadani beach — one of the few coastal areas of Pakistan with sparking blue water and a unique range of marine habitat — is in danger of losing its luster.

Toxic wastes from the ship-breaking industry, coupled with illegal nets and the government’s plan to set up a coal-based energy corridor in the area, threatens this breezy coastal edge of the Arabian Sea.

Once a top picnic spot for the people of Karachi, the Gadani coast has long been used as a “trash can” for dumping effluent generated by the ship-breaking industry - a very lucrative business.

“Over the years, the ship-breaking industry, which brings in enormous revenue both for the government and the businesses, has failed to develop an eco-friendly mechanism to handle its wastes. This is unfortunate,” said Muhammad Moazzam Khan, one of the country’s top marine life experts.

However, he maintained that the coast of Gadani is still better off than that in Karachi, where toxic wastes from industrial units are blatantly dumped.

Khan, who is the World Wildlife Fund’s technical adviser on marine fisheries, pointed out that the energy corridor in Gadani expected to become operational in 2017 would release hot water and destroy the marine habitat.

“The corridor is a looming threat to the marine life in this area,” Khan told reporters during a field trip to Kaio Island, a 30-minute boat ride from the Gadani coast.

Kaio Island, located near Gadani in the Lasbela district of Balochistan, is known for the diversity of marine life off its coast.

“This is among the very few areas along the coast of Pakistan which has a coral sand-associated habitat inhabited by colourful invertebrates and a large number of fish species,” Khan said. “Marine life around the island is being seriously affected by the increasing pollution on account of the accumulation of debris.”

The WWF had recently organised a cleaning activity at Kaio Island. “We found nets and litter that had drifted from nearby,” said Khan.

Another major threat to marine life is what experts call derelict fishing gear.

Asif Sandeelo, a WWF spokesperson, said derelict fishing gear referred to nets, lines, crab or shrimp pots, fish traps, and other recreational or commercial fishing equipment that had been lost, abandoned or discarded in the marine environment.

“These nets are a serious threat to marine life, because they keep on trapping and killing fish. This is also called ghost fishing,” he added.

“Fishermen use the illegal technique of spreading small nets in the water to catch the fish. When these nets are lost or abandoned, they keep on accumulating fish,” he further explained.

Efforts are being made around the world to remove debris from important marine habitats to restore their natural conditions.

Source: The News. 24 March 2014

Monday, March 17, 2014

ILO Deputy Director-General on first Rana Plaza payments: 'Good news for the NWB workers affected and we must also focus on all the victims'

GENEVA - ILO Deputy Director-General for Field Operations and Partnerships Gilbert Houngbo has said Primark's announcement that it will start making payments to the victims of the Rana Plaza accident - injured workers employed by Primark suppliers New Wave Bottoms or the families of workers who died -means that these families will be getting financial assistance soon.
 
"This is of course welcome news for the NWB workers and their families. We also need to focus on the other victims of the Rana Plaza tragedy,” said Houngbo.
 
Primark's payments will be made under the auspices of the Coordinated scheme based on ILO Convention 121 on employment injury benefits. In addition to these payments, Primark will make a contribution to the Rana Plaza Donors Trust Fund established under the scheme, and it is encouraging other buyers to also contribute to the Fund.
 
"We too urge other retailers to make a donation to the Fund because we need to focus on the remaining estimated 3,000 workers or family members who rightly expect to be compensated. It is crucial that all the workers affected by the Rana Plaza tragedy, and their families, are properly looked after", added the ILO deputy chief.
 
For more information, please contact the ILO Department of Communication and Public Information at +41 22 799 7912 or newsroom@ilo.org
 
Source: ilo.org. 17 March 2014

Thursday, January 30, 2014

A quiet revolution: Women in Bangladesh

Women in Bangladesh have made major strides over the past decades, putting the South Asian country at the forefront among the least-developed countries in addressing gender disparity.


Since the World Conference on Women in Mexico in 1975 – which was a milestone in the battle for equality – Bangladesh has been at the forefront among the least-developed countries (LDCs) in addressing gender disparities.


Bangladesh has the eighth lowest gender gap in political empowerment in the world. This is partially due to the fact that it has had a female head of state for longer than any other country in the world. In addition, the proportion of seats held by women in the national parliament doubled from 10 per cent in 1990 to 20 per cent in 2011.


Women’s growing presence in the political sphere has had important implications on the family structure. Society is moving away from the traditional view that women are an economic liability and that sons are more desirable than daughters. Studies show that the growing independence of women is one of the major causes of a decline in the “missing women” phenomenon – gender based infanticide – in Bangladesh.


In the economic sphere, women have played a vital role as well, as evidenced by the importance of the ready-made garment (RMG) sector. While the share of men and women employed in manufacturing is roughly the same, the vast majority of RMG sector workers are women – 80-85 per cent. And, Bangladesh’s economic success in the last two decades is in large part due to the RMG exports to Europe and North America.


Despite the fact that women do not generally have ownership over land and tools necessary for agriculture, their labour has been a vital part of the success Bangladesh has had in agricultural productivity – the country stands out compared with other countries in Asia in terms of enhancing agricultural productivity.


In addition, Bangladesh has experienced significant improvements in women’s health over the past three decades. Women’s life expectancy, for example, increased from 54.3 years in 1980 to 69.3 years in 2010, one of the largest increases in the region.



A textbook example…


In the social sphere, Bangladesh is a textbook example of what is possible when women are involved in decision-making. Indeed, it is a heartening story of social innovation and development, in no small part due to the help of microfinance, which has played an integral role in rural and social development in Bangladesh – 92 per cent of the borrowers are women and 90 per cent live in rural areas.


While there is some debate over the efficacy of microfinance in poverty reduction, studies have shown that in Bangladesh, female participation in microfinance activities has led to an increased sense of empowerment, measured by factors such as decision-making, social acceptance and political involvement, which in turn have led to general welfare improvements.


Take for example the fact that Bangladeshi mothers increasingly have a say on their children’s education. The country has managed to reduce the gender gap at all levels of education, particularly at lower levels of education, i.e. youth literacy and secondary school enrolments. In these two areas, disparities have been reduced at a faster rate in Bangladesh than the global average.




…but challenges remain


Yet, Bangladeshi women continue to face numerous challenges. The recent industrial disasters in the RMG sector, where a large majority of workers are women, highlight the serious concerns about occupational safety and health.


The Bangladeshi government, employers and workers organizations are making important strides in the right direction, with the support of the ILO and many development partners, but still a lot needs to be done.


Women also have been getting the short end of the stick in the labour market. The employment rate of women in 2010, at 58 per cent, was close to 30 percentage points lower than the rate for men.


Women are also disproportionately affected by unemployment, underemployment and vulnerable employment.


Moving forward, it is important to put in place gender-responsive labour market policies that would pave the way for more equitable employment outcomes and decent work for all.


Source: ILO. 29 January 2013
http://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/comment-analysis/WCMS_234670/lang--en/index.htm?shared_from=media-mail

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Bangladesh: Rebeka: Survival from Death Trap

Repon Chowdhury and Taherul Islam of the Bangladesh Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Foundation (OSHE), shared this story from Rebeka, age 20, a survivor of the Rana Plaza building collapse of April 24.

Rebeka was a sewing-machine operator for RMG Factory Ether Tex Ltd. on the sixth floor of the Rana Plaza building when it collapsed. She was rescued from the building two days later.

On April 24, the building collapsed when a generator was started. Rebeka remembers: "My mother and I were working. I was [trying] to finish my hour-based work that was from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. After a while, my mother came to me and told me that she needed to go home for breakfast. Then I replied, 'Please go alone. I need to finish two more pieces.' Then my mother started to go home and I just started my work again after looking at the clock. All of a sudden, the whole building vibrated and collapsed."

Immediately after the accident, Rebeka started to look for her mother but could not find her. She was pinned under a heavy weight. Seven members from Rebeka's family worked there. Among them, four are missing, one died and two others – including Rebeka – are alive with traumatic, life-altering injuries.

"I was in the dark for 2 days and was not in a position to realize whether it was day or night," Rebeka remembered. "The dead bodies of my colleagues were everywhere. I was very much thirsty. I could not stop bleeding, I passed two days without food and water until suddenly, I noticed that someone was shouting, 'Anyone alive here?'

"Immediately, I tried to draw his attention and shouted, 'Yes, I am alive here.' The rescuer came to me and asked about my condition. First thing, I requested a bottle of water, and the rescuer went back and brought some water for me. But there was no way to reach the water.

"After a while, that person created a path using a drill machine and gave me a water bottle and at that time, he started a rescue operation to save my life. I said, 'My legs are under a big piece of broken building.' Observing the situation, he said, 'I have to cut off your legs to get you out of this trap. Do you agree?'

"At that time, I informed him of my husband's cell number. He went back and contacted my husband. After some time, my husband and elder brother came. They all discussed and decided to pull me out from the debris without cutting my legs off. Then they started to rescue me using drill machine and rod cutter. Almost all tendons of my two legs were damaged while the rescuers were pulling me out. After being rescued, I was sent to Combined Military Hospital (CMH) and then  referred to the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (NITOR), Dhaka. I had to lose my two legs for keeping other parts of my body," Rebeka added. 

She recalled that all of the garment workers were forced to report to work on the day of the accident even though the local administration had declared the building unsafe. The workers saw the vulnerable condition of the building.

"We demanded to leave for few days but the authority did not approve this," said Rebeka. "The authority rather told us to come tomorrow on time. On that day, the owner of the building – Rana – and the owners of the factories and their representatives forced the workers to enter into the building and to work. They told us, 'No problem, everything is OK.'

"'If you do not go for work, you would not get your salary,' the authorities of factories said. We had no other alternatives but to start work in spite of safety risks," said Rebeka.

She continues to receive medical care and is worried about her future livelihood options. Rebeka has not yet been compensated for her injuries as per the labor law. She received 10,000 Bangladeshi taka (BDT) and a sari (a long garment to cover her body) from the government when she first was injured. The garment-factory owners organization BGMEA has paid her monthly salary of 8,500 BDT (approximately $109) with overtime. She also received some financial support and other material support from some voluntary organizations.

Recently, the government gave Rebeka a savings-bank-account certificate of 1 million BDT (approximately $12,850). Rebeka and her family will receive 10,000 BDT per month from the savings account for 5 years.

Rebeka now been admitted to Government Orthopaedic Hospital in Dhaka. She has been receiving treatment there for 2 months. The government is paying all of her medical costs. However, the doctors there are not as skilled and do not have the same resources as the doctors in the beginning of treatment. She will have to remain in the hospital for a long time. She will not return to normal life as it was before the accident. She lost her legs, so now her choice is artificial legs or a wheelchair.

Rebeka has no children and her husband has no regular income. At present, he is physically ill and Rebeka's older brother is taking care of her. Rebeka's husband said it would be better if he had the opportunity for a job that allowed him time to care for his wife.

"I wish to help my wife in her daily activities," said her concerned husband. "How can I go out for a job leaving my wife alone?"

Occupational accidents in RMG factories are a common scenario in Bangladesh, but there is no long-term action to keep workers safe. RMG workers like Rebeka are suffering and we are calling for companies to be humane and save us and save the industry.

But no one hears this call because life is not important as profit gets highest priority.

Source: EHS Today

Towards a safer garment industry in Bangladesh:

Major ILO programme has been developed with the government, workers and employers in Bangladesh, in response to a number of accidents that have hit the country’s ready-made garment industry.DHAKA - The Government of Bangladesh (GoB) and the International Labour Organization have launched a major initiative – including a new Better Work programme -aimed at improving working conditions in the ready-made garment (RMG) industry in Bangladesh.

The three-and-a-half year initiative, ‘Improving Working Conditions in the Ready-Made Garment Sector’ - (RMGP) focuses on minimizing the threat of fire and building collapse in ready-made garment factories and on ensuring the rights and safety of workers.

It has been developed in collaboration with government, employers’ and workers’ representatives, in response to a number of industrial accidents in the sector, including the Rana Plaza building collapse in April, in which more than 1,100 workers died.

“The ready-made garment industry is vital to Bangladesh’s economic growth but it needs to be safe and sustainable,” said ILO Director-General, Guy Ryder. “This programme supports the National Tripartite Plan of Action on fire safety and structural integrity and will lead to lasting improvements in working conditions for the tens of thousands of garment factory workers in Bangladesh.”

Bangladesh Labour Minister, Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju, stressed, “The Government of Bangladesh has initiated some substantive work on occupational safety and health for ready-made garment sector workers. I would like to acknowledge my gratitude to the development partners who have provided support in this initiative.”

The United Kingdom and the Netherlands are jointly contributing US$15 million to the US$24.21 million programme. The ILO is mobilizing further resources.

Safety and rehabilitationThe RMG programme will provide technical support to building and fire safety assessments; strengthen and support labour, fire and building inspections; build occupational safety and health awareness, capacity and systems and provide rehabilitation and skills training for the victims of Rana Plaza and Tazreen Fashions, where 112 workers died in a fire in November 2012.

“Rana Plaza and Tazreen became the symbols of what is wrong in the RMG sector. Now Bangladesh, supported by the international community, has the chance to get it right,” said Gerben Sjoerd de Jong, Ambassador of the Netherlands in Bangladesh.

“The Netherlands support this ILO programme because it contains all the crucial elements to make the garment sector safe and sustainable. For us this is a perfect example of using aid to promote responsible trade,” he added.

Sarah Cooke, head of the UK Department for International Development (DFID) in Bangladesh said, “The sustainability of the ready-made garment industry has a pivotal role to play in Bangladesh's continued social and economic development. This programme is a key part of the UK's approach to help ensure safe working conditions and improved productivity in the sector.”

It compliments other initiatives to improve safety in RMG factories such as the Sustainability Compact adopted by the European Union, Bangladesh Government and the United States, and supported by the ILO; the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, which comprises global unions, brands and retailers, and the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety, which brings together North American retailers and brands.

This programme builds on ongoing ILO interventions and complements the Fire Safety, Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and Labour Relations initiatives funded by the US Department of Labor and the Kingdom of Norway.

Better WorkAs part of the new programme, the ILO and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) also announced the launch of a Better Work programme in Bangladesh. This will complement the RMG programme by implementing factory-level activities to improve compliance with national labour laws and respect for international core labour standards, while promoting the competitiveness of participating factories.

Better Work Bangladesh is a partnership with government, employers, workers, international buyers and other relevant stakeholders, to promote sustainable change in the ready-made garment sector by helping factories comply with labour laws and building the capacity for labour administration and industrial relations.

In the spirit of this partnership, the Government of Bangladesh and Better Work have agreed to link continuation of the programme to progress being made on specific commitments, as laid out in a “Framework for Continuous Improvement.” Such progress on the Framework will be reviewed annually by Better Work, in cooperation with the Government.

Key partners of the RMG project include, Ministry of Labour and Employment; Ministry of Housing and Public Works; Ministry of Home Affairs; National Tripartite Committee on Fire and Building Safety; Dhaka Development Authority (RAJUK); Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET); Department of Fire Service and Civil Defence; Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA); Bangladesh Knitwear Manufactures and Exporters Association (BKMEA); Bangladesh Employer’s Federation (BEF); National Coordination Committee for Worker’s Education (NCCWE); IndustriALL Bangladesh Council (IBC).

Better Work Bangladesh will be funded by the governments of Switzerland and the United States, and through the RMG programme by the governments of the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. The Better Work global programme is funded by the governments of Australia, the Netherlands and Switzerland.

Source: ILO.
http://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/activities/all/safer-garment-industry-in-bangladesh/lang--en/index.htm?shared_from=media-mail

ILO to launch major new programme to improve garment factory safety in Bangladesh:

GENEVA ─ The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Government of Bangladesh will launch a new programme to improve working conditions in the ready-made garment (RMG) sector in Bangladesh on Tuesday 22 October in Dhaka at 09:00 GMT.

The three-and-a-half year initiative will focus on improving RMG factory building safety and workers’ rights and conditions in Bangladesh.

It will build on work already underway in the country since the Tazreen factory fire in 2012 and Rana Plaza building collapse almost six months ago in which over 1,100 workers lost their lives.

The ILO Deputy Director-General for Field Operations, Gilbert Houngbo will be attending the launch alongside the Bangladesh Ministers of Finance, Foreign Affairs, Commerce and Labour and Employment; the Ambassador of the Netherlands to Bangladesh; the Head of the UK Department for International Development (DFID) Office in Dhaka and representatives of employers’ and workers’ organizations.

Source: ILO. 21 October 2013

A tireless pursuit of change:

It was past midnight. Four days into my job as the new Director of the ILO Country Office in Bangladesh.  Ten days after the Rana Plaza building collapse, which killed more than 1,100 garment factory workers.

A high level mission from ILO headquarters had been in the country for several days and we had been in discussions since morning, shuttling between unions, employers and government and were close to agreement on the joint statement we would issue the next day.

The country was still in shock at the enormity of the tragedy but it was only at that point, in the early hours, after meeting with ambassadors from a number of countries, that I realised that this was not just about Bangladesh.

It was not about an accident in one building. It was about an issue that had severe implications for many countries, particularly Europe and the United States.  It was about global governance, global rules and regulations.

These garment workers are working for millions of consumers and hundreds of global employers.  We are all affected and we all need change.

That change has started to happen – with the ILO playing a pivotal role in coordinating the various initiatives – both national and global – which have sprung out of this tragedy.

Our technical specialists are assisting government, employers and workers on safety and health, labour standards, labour inspections and training.

We’re also launching a major US$24m Ready-Made Garment Industry Programme, which aims to improve working conditions in the industry.

Nearly 200 specialist engineers have been trained, in partnership with the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, to carry out buildings’ inspections.  They’ll be starting work soon.

A major challenge, though, has been managing expectations.

Everyone, of course, wants to see tangible changes on the ground fast. It’s easy to say that progress has been slow.  The fire in October at a garment factory north-west of Dhaka shows there’s still a long way to go.

But to make sure that another Rana Plaza doesn’t happen, we need to put in place long term measures. That’s what’s been happening with the passing of new labour law amendments, the building assessments training, the joint discussions on common standards, the work with the global brands and buyers.

The rehabilitation of those workers affected by the building collapse is also a long term task.  They need time – and help – to go through the process of recovery.

My first six months as head of the ILO Dhaka office have been deeply coloured by this tragedy. It’s been a challenge.  It’s been demanding. Yet, from the day of the building collapse until now, it has also been a great opportunity to affect change.

When I see the commitment of so many organizations, companies, agencies and governments at national and international level, it gives me confidence that we can make real improvements in Bangladesh’s garment sector. It gives me strength. That’s why I don’t feel tired.

Source: ILO. 24 October 2013

Emerging from the ruins of Rana Plaza

Six months on from the Rana Plaza building collapse, the ILO is helping survivors develop new skills and find jobs. Three workers who survived the tragedy talked to ILO News about their way back into employment.Feature | 24 October 2013

DHAKA (ILO News) – When Minu’s limp body was piled onto the mass of corpses after Rana Plaza collapsed, she prayed that someone would notice that she was still alive.

Too weak to call out, she had been smothered under dead bodies in the rubble without food or water for three days. As they laid her out in the makeshift mortuary on the Adhur Chandra High- School playground in Savar, someone heard the faintest of cries and realized she was still alive.

“As I laid on the school oval, I thought I could not even make enough noise for someone to notice me. I had nothing left in me at all – I was just like another one of the bodies in the pile,” she recalls.

Minu Aktar had been working in Phantom Apparels on the fourth floor of Rana Plaza for four and a half years. She still suffers from physical injuries sustained during the collapse, as well as ongoing trauma, from being trapped under the building.

Skills trainingSix months on, however, Minu is starting to overcome her grief with the support of her family and through the ILO’s Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Reform Project in partnership with BRAC, a major non-governmental organization.

The programme, funded by the European Union, is equipping survivors with the skills they need to get jobs in local workplaces.

As a result, Minu is now working in a tailor’s shop in Savar, mentored by an ILO/BRAC supervisor and master craftsperson.

“I did not think that I would ever be able to work again, because of my fear and because of my injuries, but now I am learning new skills and it feels really good. Tailoring and dress making is interesting and I have a good supervisor. I am also working together with another survivor called Khaleda, so we support each other and learn together,” says Minu.

“Seeing my family, having a job – I finally feel like I am alive again,” she adds.

A new career pathMijanur Rahman was a technician in Phantom Apparels on the third floor of Rana Plaza and had his right leg crushed in the collapse. He wanted to return to work in a factory but has been unable to because he cannot stand for long periods of time or walk for long distances.

He is now an apprentice in the programme, learning to repair mobile phones, a useful trade in a country where there are over 100 million active mobile phone users.

Trapped between steel rods in the collapsed building, Mijanur thought he would never be able to get out of the building, let alone step into a workplace again. Now he is looking forward to new skills, a new job and a new career path.

“I wanted to return but it was impossible and I also cannot do other types of jobs so I am happy that I now have a way to make money. I am learning a lot from the shop owner here. If there is any problem in a mobile phone set, we can repair it,” he says.

The skills training programme is based on an existing apprenticeship model, which was adapted to include Rana Plaza survivors, explains Srinivas Reddy, ILO Bangladesh Country Director:

“The TVET Reform Project has developed a number of models focusing on better delivery of skills. This particular model focuses on high employment trades, particularly those found in regional and rural areas, such as tailoring, motorcycle servicing and mobile phone repairing. The model fits well with the needs of the survivors because, in just a short time, it gives people quality skills which they can then use to enter a sector in which almost all are guaranteed employment.”

Walk into Fashion Tailors in Savar now and you will be greeted by two smiling tailors – Minu and Khaleda - working alongside their supervisor and master craftsperson, Shekh Sadi. Not only is the skills’ training programme giving survivors the opportunity to learn new skills, but it is also helping them to cope with the tragedy.

In a corner of the shop are hanging three brightly coloured red and orange dresses with matching scarves, still waiting to be picked up. But Shekh Sadi knows that the girls he made the dresses for will never wear them. They died under the rubble of Rana Plaza.

Distressed by the loss of so many lives, he didn’t know how to help at first. Now, by training Minu and Khaleda, he is equipping them with the skills to make dresses like these – giving them a pathway into new jobs.

Source: ILO. 24 October 2013