SNV initiates collaborative approach for RMG workers health and wellbeing

Staff Correspondent: SNV Netherlands Development Organisation signed partnership agreements with trade bodies and NGOs to leverage a collaborative approach to improve the health and well-being of the workers in the ready-made garment sector in Bangladesh.

A contract signing ceremony was held on this occasion on Thursday, 14 December 2017at Amari Dhaka in Gulshan. The contracts were signed with Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS), Better Work Bangladesh, Dutch-Bangla Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DBCCI), Fair Wear Foundation (FWF), Phulki, SAJIDA Foundation and UCEP Bangladesh.

The collaboration is established under “Working with Women-2” project implemented by SNV Netherlands Development Organisation with funding support from embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (EKN). The project will work with 200 factories through different mechanisms and platforms, to ensure health including sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) for garment workers.

Mr. Faruque Hasan, President of Dutch-Bangla Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DBCCI); Mr. Louis B. Vanegas, Chief Technical Advisor of Better Work Bangladesh, Mr. Fazlul Hoque, Director of SAJIDA Foundation; Ms. Tahsina Ahmed, CEO of UCEP Bangladesh; Mr. Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmed, Executive Director of Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS); Ms. Suraiya Haque, Executive Director of Phulki ; Mr. Md Bablur Rahman, Country Representative of Fair Wear Foundation (FWF); Mr. Jason Belanger, Country Director of SNV Bangladesh and Ms. Farhtheeba Rahat Khan, Team Leader of Working with Women Project were present, among others, at the contract signing ceremony. 

The Working with Women Project builds on the success of the pilot initiative (2014-17)where 10 Inclusive Business models were implemented in 20 to ensure affordable and accessible SRHRservices and products for their workers.

Addressing the ceremony, representatives from the participating organizations expressed their commitment and willingness to work together with SNV in improving the health and wellbeing of the garment workers.