The 111th International Labour Conference on Committee of Application of Standards in 2023 doesn’t shortlist and discuss the Individual Case of labour rights violation in Bangladesh. In fact, our briefers depict that women workers across Dhaka and Mongla Export Processing Zones (EPZs) do not enjoy their labour rights fully due to contractualisation. The respective companies and government do not comply with the core International Labour Standards, including collective bargaining. Women’s participation remains poor in many tripartite mechanisms. Their FPAR reveals that only 6.5 per cent of women are members of the participatory committee, safety committee and anti-harassment committee due to their precarious work. Because there is low rate of women representation in the committees, women find it difficult to report any complaints, particularly violence and harassment.

These briefers were also disseminated at the 111th International Labour Conference #ILC2023 in Geneva, Switzerland.

Exploitation of Women Workers in the Mongla Export Processing Zone, Bangladesh
Read the full briefer here.

 

Shrinking Workers’ Rights amidst Expanding Export Processing Zones in Bangladesh
Read the full briefer here.