The US Agency for International Development (USAID) has declared a three-year programme for worker empowerment in Bangladesh’s readymade garment sector that caters for western users. Promoting labour rights, right to organise union and women’s empowerment in the export industry are avowed objectives of the agenda, announced on the occasion of the second anniversary of Rana Plaza tragedy. As per the announcement, the new worker-empowerment agenda aims to strengthen the capacity of independent workers’ organisations by empowering workers, particularly women workers, with the skills and support necessary to protect their rights, promote their interests and improve conditions in their workplace and community. This programme complements the existing global labour programme that trains workers on labour laws, provides legal support to workers, and assists them in organising and registering new unions. Since inception, this programme has registered nearly 300 new labour unions in the readymade garment industry, covering more than 65,000 workers, said a USAID press release Sunday. It said the announcement on the new programme coincides with the second anniversary of Rana Plaza garment factory collapse in Dhaka that killed over 1,100 workers and injured over 2,500. On this occasion, Jonathan Stivers, USAID Assistant Administrator for Asia, said USAID’s Worker Empowerment Program demonstrates the United States’ vigilance in promoting fundamental labour rights, including workplace safety and health, so tragedies such as Rana Plaza can be prevented in the future. “We have partnered with the Government of Bangladesh, international donors, and the garment industry to empower workers by giving them a real voice in this vital sector and to reform labor laws consistent with international standards.” The announcement also said the European Union and the United States, in close cooperation with the ILO, will remain closely engaged with the Government of Bangladesh in the spirit of partnership to continue their work together to ensure that economic growth and sustainable development go hand in hand with workers’ safety and rights.
Source: https://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2015/04/27/90443
