*Y.C* Ensuring Maternity Leave and Benefits: Vulnerable Women in the Ready Made Garments (RMG) Sector of Bangladesh
In this project, Awaj Foundation is working with maternity health of women workers, especially in the Ready Made Garments (RMG) sector of Bangladesh. There are about 2.5 million workers in the RMG sector, about 80% of whom are women aged between 16-25 years. They are institutionally uneducated, economically poor and socially vulnerable. Women garment workers are the main force for foreign currency earnings in Bangladesh, which is a major contributor to our economy. But the position of the women garment workers are getting worst day by day. Although, these RMG workers are legally entitled to maternity leave and benefits, they are deprived of these by their employers due to the lack of knowledge by these workers about their legal rights according to the Bangladesh Labour Law 2006. They are usually fired by their employers, or sent on leave without payment when they get pregnant. As a result, many of the workers are forced to work during their final stages of pregnancy due to financial insolvency, which jeopardizes the mother's and child's health. In addition, even those workers that are aware, are unable to calculate and estimate their complex maternity benefits calculations, and do not know how to apply for their legal rights through applications to their employers and doctors certificates. In addition, many factories that do pay maternity benefits, pay workers lower than their legally entitled maternity benefits. Many workers also have to look for new jobs or start at the same factory at lower grading jobs post-birth as they are not aware about their legal rights to maternity leave and benefits.
Awaj Foundation is a workers' rights organization that has been working with workers' rights issues, giving awareness and capacity building training, legal aid on family and labour law, and health care to Ready Made Garments (RMG) workers of Bangladesh since 2003.
The objective of the proposed project is to scale up the already ongoing interventions to improve access to maternal health of RMG workers through:
(a) Awareness training of RMG workers on their legal rights such as maternity leave and benefits.
(b) Awareness training of RMG workers on general health and nutrition, reproductive health, and HIV AIDS
(c) Awareness training of RMG workers on family planning
(d) Capacity building of selected RMG workers as trainers so that they can train or inform others on maternity leave and benefits, reproductive health, general health, and nutrition
(e) Gender sensitization training of mid-level management on gender concept, issues, equity, and handling of pregnant women and their workload
(f) Networking, campaigning and advocacy towards employers, employers association, buyers, media, government, and civil society to ensure that they provide maternity leave and benefits to workers as a part of coorporate social responsibility, and to enforce the Bangladesh labor law
(g) Monitoring of RMG factories to ensure that ther are providing maternity leave and benefits
(h) Providing legal aid and advice to RMG workers for ensuring their rights to maternity leave and benefits.
(i) Provide conflict resolution and negotiation between workers and management to ensure their maternal rights if applicable
(j) Awaj already provides general health care services to workers. In addition, Awaj would scale up health interventions to provide free and low-cost contraception, pap smears, pregnancy tests, prenatal and post natal advice, and tests for STDs and HIV
Awaj has been implementing a project "Empowering Women Workers in the RMG Sector" funded by GTZ Progress. The project addresses a variety of labour law issues related to RMG workers in addition to improved maternal benefits for RMG workers on a small scale in 30 selected RMG factories in Dhaka and Gazipur through carrying out of activities (a), (d), (h) and (i) mentioned above targeted towards 8,000 RMG workers. In addition, Awaj has been carrying out activity (b) as part of its occupational health and safety trainings on a small scale targeted towards 1,000 workers under its project, "Occupational Health and Safety Awareness Training in the RMG Sector" funded by KikTextil. In addition, Awaj has been self-financing activities (h) and (i) since its inception in 2003.
These projects' interventions on maternal health will be scaled up through partnership and networking with owners associations such as BGMEA, BKMEA, buyers, other development and non-profit agencies with primary focus on Maternal Health in the future. Post-donor funding, Awaj can sustain this project on a smaller scale with the membership fees it receives from its 30,000 general members who are RMG workers and who will directly benefit from the project interventions.
In addition, Awaj Foundation employs staff with average of 10-15 years of experience working with the RMG sector. It has expert panel of organizers, trainers, labour as well as family lawyers, as well as an MBBS doctor under its staff that help with its project interventions.
About You
Section 1: About You
First Name
Mehzabin
Last Name
Ahmed
Organization
Awaj Foundation
Country
Bangladesh, DHA
Are you an individual between the ages of 18 and 35 who would like to apply for a nine month Young Champions Program mentored by an Ashoka Fellow?
Yes
Section 2: About Your Organization
Organization Name
Awaj Foundation
Organization Website
Organization Phone
+88028834042
Organization Address
H 61/1. 3rd Floor. New Airport Road. Amtoli. Mohakhali. Dhaka 1212.
Organization Country
Bangladesh, DHA
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Your idea
Name Your Project
*Y.C* Ensuring Maternity Leave and Benefits: Vulnerable Women in the Ready Made Garments (RMG) Sector of Bangladesh
Country your work focuses on
Bangladesh, DHA
Describe Your Idea
In this project, Awaj Foundation is working with maternity health of women workers, especially in the Ready Made Garments (RMG) sector of Bangladesh. There are about 2.5 million workers in the RMG sector, about 80% of whom are women aged between 16-25 years. They are institutionally uneducated, economically poor and socially vulnerable. Women garment workers are the main force for foreign currency earnings in Bangladesh, which is a major contributor to our economy. But the position of the women garment workers are getting worst day by day. Although, these RMG workers are legally entitled to maternity leave and benefits, they are deprived of these by their employers due to the lack of knowledge by these workers about their legal rights according to the Bangladesh Labour Law 2006. They are usually fired by their employers, or sent on leave without payment when they get pregnant. As a result, many of the workers are forced to work during their final stages of pregnancy due to financial insolvency, which jeopardizes the mother's and child's health. In addition, even those workers that are aware, are unable to calculate and estimate their complex maternity benefits calculations, and do not know how to apply for their legal rights through applications to their employers and doctors certificates. In addition, many factories that do pay maternity benefits, pay workers lower than their legally entitled maternity benefits. Many workers also have to look for new jobs or start at the same factory at lower grading jobs post-birth as they are not aware about their legal rights to maternity leave and benefits.
Awaj Foundation is a workers' rights organization that has been working with workers' rights issues, giving awareness and capacity building training, legal aid on family and labour law, and health care to Ready Made Garments (RMG) workers of Bangladesh since 2003.
The objective of the proposed project is to scale up the already ongoing interventions to improve access to maternal health of RMG workers through:
(a) Awareness training of RMG workers on their legal rights such as maternity leave and benefits.
(b) Awareness training of RMG workers on general health and nutrition, reproductive health, and HIV AIDS
(c) Awareness training of RMG workers on family planning
(d) Capacity building of selected RMG workers as trainers so that they can train or inform others on maternity leave and benefits, reproductive health, general health, and nutrition
(e) Gender sensitization training of mid-level management on gender concept, issues, equity, and handling of pregnant women and their workload
(f) Networking, campaigning and advocacy towards employers, employers association, buyers, media, government, and civil society to ensure that they provide maternity leave and benefits to workers as a part of coorporate social responsibility, and to enforce the Bangladesh labor law
(g) Monitoring of RMG factories to ensure that ther are providing maternity leave and benefits
(h) Providing legal aid and advice to RMG workers for ensuring their rights to maternity leave and benefits.
(i) Provide conflict resolution and negotiation between workers and management to ensure their maternal rights if applicable
(j) Awaj already provides general health care services to workers. In addition, Awaj would scale up health interventions to provide free and low-cost contraception, pap smears, pregnancy tests, prenatal and post natal advice, and tests for STDs and HIV
Awaj has been implementing a project "Empowering Women Workers in the RMG Sector" funded by GTZ Progress. The project addresses a variety of labour law issues related to RMG workers in addition to improved maternal benefits for RMG workers on a small scale in 30 selected RMG factories in Dhaka and Gazipur through carrying out of activities (a), (d), (h) and (i) mentioned above targeted towards 8,000 RMG workers. In addition, Awaj has been carrying out activity (b) as part of its occupational health and safety trainings on a small scale targeted towards 1,000 workers under its project, "Occupational Health and Safety Awareness Training in the RMG Sector" funded by KikTextil. In addition, Awaj has been self-financing activities (h) and (i) since its inception in 2003.
These projects' interventions on maternal health will be scaled up through partnership and networking with owners associations such as BGMEA, BKMEA, buyers, other development and non-profit agencies with primary focus on Maternal Health in the future. Post-donor funding, Awaj can sustain this project on a smaller scale with the membership fees it receives from its 30,000 general members who are RMG workers and who will directly benefit from the project interventions.
In addition, Awaj Foundation employs staff with average of 10-15 years of experience working with the RMG sector. It has expert panel of organizers, trainers, labour as well as family lawyers, as well as an MBBS doctor under its staff that help with its project interventions.
Website URL
Innovation
What makes your idea unique?
This idea is unique as it addresses the supply side (employers and employers associations) as well as the demand side (RMG workers) to improve maternal health by improving their financial and job security, health, and working conditions during and after pregnancy through ensuring that the RMG workers get maternal leave and benefits from their factories, and ensuring that they are aware about general health, nutrition, and reproductive health. It also provides multi-disciplinary solutions and approaches to ensuring maternal health.
Do you have a patent for this idea?
No
Impact
This Entry is about (Issues)
What impact have you had?
Awaj has ensured maternity leave and benefits for around 8,000 workers in 30 selected RMG factories in Dhaka and Gazipur through its project, "Empowering Women Workers in the RMG Sector"
Problem
Although, Ready Made Garments (RMG) workers are legally entitled to maternity leave and benefits, they are deprived of these by their employers due to the lack of knowledge by these workers about their legal rights according to the Bangladesh labour law. They are usually fired by their employers, or sent on leave without payment when they get pregnant. Many of them are forced to work during their final stages of pregnancy due to financial insolvency, which jeopardizes the mother's and child's health. In addition, even those workers that are aware, are unable to calculate and estimate their complex maternity benefits calculations, and do not know how to apply for their legal rights through applications to their employers and doctors certificates. In addition, many employees that do pay maternity benefits, pay workers lower than their legally entitled benefits as workers are unaware about their rights.
In addition, RMG women workers and their children suffer from poor maternal and infant health due to lack of knowledge on general health, nutrition, reproductive health, STDs, and HIV/AIDS.
Actions
The steps already taken by Awaj Foundation include (a) Awareness training of RMG workers on their legal rights such as maternity leave and benefits. (b) Awareness training of RMG workers on general health and nutrition, reproductive health, and HIV AIDS (c) Capacity building of selected RMG workers as trainers so that they can train or inform others on maternity leave and benefits, reproductive health, general health, and nutrition, HIV AIDS, etc (d) Networking and advocacy towards employers, employers association, buyers, media, government and civil society to ensure that they provide maternity leave and benefits to workers as a part of coorporate social responsibility, and to enforce the Bangladesh Labor Law 2006 (e) Monitoring of RMG factories to ensure that ther are providing maternity leave and benefits (f) Providing legal aid and advice to RMG workers for ensuring their rights to maternity leave and benefits (g) Providing conflict resolution and negotiation between workers and management to ensure their maternal rights if applicable (h) Providing low cost general health care services to RMG workers
Results
These actions are expected to sensitize workers about their legal rights such as maternity leave and benefits and how to get these rights. It is expected to improve their financial and job security during and after pregnancy through awareness about maternity leave and benefits, which will ensure maternal and child's health through poverty alleviation, increased income, and hence better health and nutrition. In addition, ensuring their legal paid maternity leave of 16 weeks (8 weeks pre-birth, and 8 weeks post-birth) will ensure their health and wealth during pregnancy. These poor women will also feel less obliged to work during this crucial 16 weeks for finances (which can jeopardize the child's and mother's health).
It would also improve their work load and conditions during pregnancy through sensitization of mid level management. In addition, health of mother and child will improve through sensitization on health, nutrition, reproductive health issues, HIV AIDS, and family planning. Their health will also improve through health care services and prenatal and post natal advice provided.
What will it take for your project to be successful over the next three years? Please address each year separately, if possible.
To be successful over the next three years, massive campaigning needs to be carried out by Awaj Foundation to sensitize employers and employers associations about benefits of providing maternity leave and benefits to workers. In addition to awareness training of workers, these campaigns will sustain project interventions farther as we will be able to reach a wider impact through sensitization and commitment of employers.
What would prevent your project from being a success?
Profit maximization attitude of employers, and reluctance to enforce the law would be an obstacle. In addition, the workers are institutionally uneducated and poor, that could be a hindrance to their awareness raising as well. In addition, obstacles might arise from fundamentals.
How many people will your project serve annually?
1001‐10,000
What is the average monthly household income in your target community, in US Dollars?
Less than $50
Does your project seek to have an impact on public policy?
Yes
Sustainability
What stage is your project in?
Operating for more than 5 years
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
Is your initiative connected to an established organization?
Yes
If yes, provide organization name.
Awaj Foundation
How long has this organization been operating?
More than 5 years
Does your organization have a Board of Directors or an Advisory Board?
Yes
Does your organization have a non-monetary partnerships with NGOs?
Yes
Does your organization have a non-monetary partnerships with businesses?
Yes
Does your organization have a non-monetary partnerships with government?
Yes
Please tell us more about how these partnerships are critical to the success of your innovation.
Partnership with the Government is necessary for expedited processing and implementation of maternal laws, and farther policy advocay.
Partnership with businesses such as employers, employers association, buyers, among others are necessary for implementation of the maternal law and policies. Especially buyers and media can play critical role as pressure groups towards implementation of maternal law and policies.
Partnership and networking with other NGOs will add voice, strength,m and manpower to our advocay, campaigning, monitoring initiatives, and scale up of interventions.
What are the three most important actions needed to grow your initiative or organization?
Three most important actions needed to grow the initiative includes:
(a) Capacity building of the workers so that they can take initiatives and sustain the project through the post initiative years
(b) Consistent fund raising to continue project activities to grow the organization
(c) Networking and campaigning with employers, employers associations, buyers, government, and other developments agencies and NGOs, media, and civil society, as well as workers to sustain the project interventions
The Story
What was the defining moment that you led to this innovation?
Awaj Foundation has had a legal aid cell for Ready Made Garments (RMG) workers since its inception. The innovation came from pressing financial and legal needs of workers who were constantly deprived of their legal rights to maternal health, leave, and benefits.
Tell us about the social innovator behind this idea.
The social innovator behind this idea is Mehzabin Ahmed. She became aware about workers' rights issues and started working for workers' rights in the Ready Made Garments sector in 2003 with an Internship with United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS), USA as an International Union Summer Intern in Bangladesh. In the past, she has also been the Women-Genderqueer Caucus Representative to the Coordinating Committee of USAS. She has been since working for workers rights for more than 6 years. She was one of the founding members of the NGO, Awaj Foundation, for workers rights. She is currently working as a Project Coordinator for the Project: "Empowering Women Workers in the RMG Sector", and Supervisor for the Project: "Occupational Health and Safety Awareness Training in the RMG Sector" by Awaj Foundation.
How did you first hear about Changemakers?
Web Search (e.g., Google or Yahoo)
If through another, please provide the name of the organization or company
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 | 111 weeks agoMehzabin Ahmed updated this Competition Entry. |
| 112 weeks agoMehzabin Ahmed updated this Competition Entry. |
| 112 weeks agoMehzabin Ahmed updated this Competition Entry. |
| 112 weeks agoMehzabin Ahmed updated this Competition Entry. |
| 112 weeks agoMehzabin Ahmed updated this Competition Entry. |
| 112 weeks agoMehzabin Ahmed updated this Competition Entry. |
| 112 weeks agoMehzabin Ahmed updated this Competition Entry. |
| 113 weeks agoMehzabin Ahmed updated this Competition Entry. |
| 114 weeks agoMehzabin Ahmed updated this Competition Entry. |
| 116 weeks agoMehzabin Ahmed updated this Competition Entry. |
