Women’s rights in the shadow of the corporate veil : the gendered face of discrimination in Bangladesh's ready-made garment industry
Women’s rights in the shadow of the corporate veil : the gendered face of discrimination in Bangladesh's ready-made garment industry
Date
2023
Authors
Muñoz Cano, Paula
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
The Bangladeshi garment sector is characterised by a complex interplay between
affordable fashion, multinational profits, and the exploitation of mostly female garment
workers. Deeply entrenched gender inequalities in Bangladeshi society permeate work
contexts, leading to discriminatory practices such as wage disparities, exploitative
working conditions and incidents of violence. These practices have contributed to a
significant decline in the number of women employed in the sector through voluntary
departures. This alarming trend highlights the unsustainable nature of labour practices
that hinder women's empowerment and economic stability, perpetuating a cycle that
limits their access to secure employment opportunities. While initiatives such as corporate
self-regulation, corporate social responsibility initiatives and human rights frameworks
have been proposed, their effectiveness in eliminating discriminatory practices remains
uncertain. Given the evolving political landscape regarding the possible development of
a binding instrument for companies to hold them accountable for violations in global
value chains, it is important to scrutinise the effectiveness of these efforts and the extent
to which they actually prioritise workers' rights over economic interests. Accordingly,
this study's main objective is to comprehensively explore the various dimensions that
require careful consideration to facilitate a substantial transformation to address the
pervasive problem of gender-based employment discrimination in garment value chains.
Description
Second semester University: New University of Lisbon
Keywords
Bangladesh,
discrimination in employment,
gender discrimination,
women rights,
corporate responsibility,
human rights,
social responsibility