27 March, 2025IndustriALL affiliates in Bangladesh along with Swedish trade union IF Metall and clothing brand H&M Group are undertaking awareness raising workshops and trainings on gender-based violence and harassment in H&M’s supplier factories.
The H&M Group-IndustriALL guidelines on gender-based violence and sexual harassment were developed in 2023 under the global framework agreement (GFA) between IndustriALL Global Union, IF Metall and H&M. Aligned with ILO Convention 190 and Recommendation 206, the guidelines help H&M suppliers prevent, detect and address gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH) in the workplace.
While the guidelines are available to all suppliers, the national monitoring committee (NMC) in Bangladesh set up under GFA, has rolled out the guidelines in depth in eight supplier factories of H&M in the last two years. This has involved a deep dive into understanding the GBVH situation in the factories as well as carrying out extensive training workshops to raise awareness on the issue as well as guidelines among workers and management. This year, another ten factories will be added to the list.
During these trainings, women workers discussed their experiences of harassment and abuse on the shopfloor which range from verbal abuses, offensive comments about their body, particularly during pregnancy, groping, slapping, among others. Workers also stated that men in positions of authority seek sexual relationships from women workers and that if they don't comply, they risk having their jobs terminated or receiving more production targets.
The workshops would often begin with management denying that such incidents happen in their factories; however, as sessions progressed, training participants reach the consensus that such incidents should not happen and steps must be taken to prevent them.
GBVH guidelines detail out mechanisms to prevent GBVH on the shopfloor, investigate the cases as well as monitoring and control systems. It mandates that factories must have a GBVH policy and all workers and management must be aware of it.
As part of prevention, the guideline requires consistent awareness raising as well as identification and mitigation of risks of GBVH.
An Investigation of GBVH cases is undertaken by anti-sexual harassment committees which are required to be established at all workplaces, following a court order in 2009.
The court directed the committees to receive complaints, conduct investigations and submit annual reports to the government. However, the lack of enforcement of the order non-functional committees and their limited authority in persecuting GBVH cases have been under constant criticism from trade unions.
Additionally, the stigma associated with reporting sexual harassment deters workers from reporting the abuse.
Nazma Akter, president of Sommilito Garments Sramik Federation and IndustriALL executive committee member, says:
“H&M – IndustriALL GBVH guidelines and training programmes will be crucial in strengthening the capacities of workers, organisers as well as management to understand the issue and develop joint strategies to address GBVH at H&M supplier factories.”