Poverty-Fighting Organization Underscores Importance of Follow-through by Garment Industry, Others
ATLANTA (July 10, 2013) – CARE fully supports the efforts of retailers and other stakeholders around the world moving to improve worker conditions in Bangladesh. Recently announced agreements on safety measures in factories, increased transparency among buyers, and worker empowerment programs represent steps in the right direction.
Follow through on these commitments to Bangladesh garment workers is critical. CARE is positioned to foster improvements in the industry, not only through our work in the country, but also through our partners. For over a decade, CARE has been working to improve the lives of thousands of female garment workers in Bangladesh, through better health care, literacy, and leadership capacity in the workplace and home. We also collaborate with a number of international buyers, using this as an entry point for bringing attention to pervasive concerns of women in factories and advocating for change that will lead to improvements for all workers.
We know that beyond assuring that recent agreements from Western buyers are implemented, multiple additional stakeholders have a role to play: factory associations, nongovernmental organizations, workers, unions, and, notably, the government of Bangladesh. While the task is daunting, comprehensive buy-in and coordination on the ground are essential. It’s the only way to assure that the horrors of Tazreen and Rana Plaza are not repeated again.
Contact: Brian Feagans, bfeagans@care.org, 404-979-9453