The SNV Netherlands Development Organisation, in collaboration with local service providers and private organisations, has initiated multiple business models through which it will help garment factory owners provide sexual and menstrual health services to their workers.
About 95% of female garment workers live in grave health conditions regarding their menstrual health, which eventually cost the Bangladeshi economy $22.5m per year.
Often, female workers contract illnesses due to the lack of hygienic facilities available during their menstrual cycle, and have to miss work, which in turn affects the work in the industry since majority of the workers are women.
These revelations of the Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) of garment workers were found in a study conducted in 2013 by Kaizen CRS, a local market research firm, and were discussed extensively during a roundtable held on Monday, jointly initiated by The Daily Star and SNV Bangladesh at The Daily Star Centre.
“The Dutch Government is seeking to help Bangladesh reach the sustainable development goals,” Ella de Voogd, first secretary, SRHR, Education, and Gender, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, said during the discussion.
“I believe that the business models under Working with Women Project can truly bring remarkable and sustainable changes” she said.
Participants at the roundtable discussed the importance and rights of garment workers to have these accesses to such facilities, especially given the taboo that exists around menstrual and sexual health of women in the society.
“Garment workers themselves aren’t aware of the need for these health practices and need to be made aware in the first place,” Tahmina Rahman, general secretary, Bangladesh Apparels Workers Federation, said during the discussion.
With the funding support from the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, SNV has started the Inclusive Business (IB) Models, with some NGO service providers and some members from the private sector, the model will ensure SRHR of garment workers.
The IB models would ensure rights to quality, range and accessibility of SRHR services for improving condition of the women factory workers and contribute to overall making the industry friendly, healthy and accessible for such health purposes for women.
Various members from the government, NGOs, the garments industry, the health sector, and the media were present during the talk.
Tahmina, along with Dr Nazneen Akhter, faculty, MPH, North South University, and Dr Julia Ahmed, Freelance Consultant on SRHR were active participants in the discussion.
Among others, Mr Nur Hossain Talukdar director general of DGFP, Mr Syed Ahmed, inspector general (additional secretary) of Department for Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) were also present at the event.
