Benetton project aims to help women in garment sector
28/10/2016
Key aims of the programme are to help women working in the clothing and textiles industry in those countries gain access to a sustainable livelihood, equal opportunities, healthcare, education and an end to violence and discrimination.
“A fundamental step to empowering women worldwide is giving them the possibility to enjoy decent, fairly paid jobs in adequate workplaces, with additional measures to support them so that they can attain social and economic sustainability for themselves and their families,” Benetton said on announcing the initiative.
In Bangladesh, the Italian company will support between 5,000 and 6,000 women currently employed in the garment sector. It will organise training courses that will help these women “strengthen their professional skills”. It will also help them gain access to loans and other financial products at local banks. In addition, Benetton said it intends to “start a dialogue” with garment companies employing these women with a view to increasing safety in and around the workplace.
Its efforts in Pakistan over the two years will focus on supporting around 1,500 women living in and around Sialkot, an important manufacturing region for textiles, garments, shoes and sporting goods. Priority here will be given to the unemployed, those working at home or in the fields and those belonging to ethnic and religious minorities, Benetton said.
As a first step, the brand will help these women obtain official identification documents, which are necessary for them to be able to vote, open a bank account and gain access to training and education. It will then concentrate on helping these women obtain formal employment and work with local textile factories to make workplaces “more welcoming to women”.
Benetton began displaying information about these initiatives in its stores worldwide on October 28 and has pledged to give six-monthly updates on progress.
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