Improving Working Conditions

in the Ready-Made Garment

Sector in Bangladesh

Improving Working Conditions

in the Ready-Made Garment

Sector in Bangladesh

Programme Launch 22 October 2013

By Srinivas Reddy, Director, ILO Country

Office for Bangladesh

Programme Launch 22 October 2013

By Srinivas Reddy, Director, ILO Country

Office for Bangladesh

Basic Facts

• Three and half year programme (Oct 2013 – Dec

2016)

• US$ 24.2 million - joint funded by DFID (UK AID) and

Government of the Netherlands and others will join

• Complemented by ongoing initiatives on Fire Safety,

fundamental principles and rights at work funded by

USDOL and Norway

Basic Facts

• To support implementation of the National Tripartite

Plan of Action on Fire Safety and Structural Integrity

(NTPA)

• To provide assistance to High-Level National

Tripartite Committee (NTC) established to ensure and

monitor implementation of NTPA.

Five Integrated Components

1. Building and fire safety assessments

2. Strengthen labour, fire and building inspection systems

3. Occupational safety and health awareness and system development

4. Rehabilitation and skills training for victims

5. Implementation of a Better Work Programme

1. Assessment of Factory Buildings

• Development of assessment framework

• NTC identified BUET and 9 other institutions to undertake preliminary assessments

• Coordination with other initiatives – Accord and Alliance

• ILO contracting short-term international expertise to support BUET

• ILO to provide equipment to BUET to undertake in-depth assessments

2. Strengthening Labour Inspection

Systems

• Legislative and policy review

• Training, infrastructure and purchase of

equipment

• Advisory services on credibility,

accountability and transparency issues

• Capacity development of building

licensing and fire safety inspection

authorities

3. Building Occupational Safety and Health

( OSH) Systems and Awareness

• Capacity building of enterprise level OSH

committees

• Training of workers, supervisors and mid-

level managers in OSH and basic worker

rights

• Information and outreach campaigns

• Training of trade union and employers

representatives.

4. Rehabilitation and Skills Training for

Disabled and Injured Workers

• Coordination of services

• Leading delivery of rehabilitation, counseling, skills training, re-employment, and entrepreneurship services

• Securing long term improvements to policy and capacity of RMG and other sectors, to employ persons with disability

• Center of Excellence for Disability Inclusion

5. Better Work Bangladesh (ILO/IFC programme)

• Assessments of working conditions (International Labour Standards and national law)

• Advisory services and training

• Reporting to improve supply chain transparency

• Partnership with 20 international buyers to replace duplicative audits, harmonize remediation and secure long-term solutions.

5. Better Work Bangladesh (ILO/IFC programme)

• Partnership with Government through Framework of Continuous Improvement to bring about change at national level labouradministration, social dialogue and industrial relations systems.

• Scope: 500 factories in 3 years.

• Funding: Governments of Switzerland and USA and, through RMG Project, Netherlands and UK.

Thank youThank you