First, in January, when the transportation of raw materials from China to other garment producing countries was suspended, many factories were forced to close temporarily. The next wave hit as the pandemic spread to Europe and the United States (US). In response to a sudden drop in consumer demand for apparel, brands cancelled and refused to pay for shipments of completed and in production orders. As a result, factories were forced to close and dismiss workers in mass. Each time factories were forced to close, workers were often sent home without notice or pay from their employers. For example, in Bangladesh, 72.4% of furloughed and 80.4% of dismissed workers were sent home unpaid in March 2020. The third wave of devastation continues, as the virus itself spreads in garment producing countries. At the time of writing this report, many factories remain closed and millions of workers remain unpaid.
This briefing summarizes some of the key human rights risks to workers in this sector, and considers the steps taken by ten call centers operatingin and six clients outsourcing services to Tunisia and/or Morocco to protect workers amidst the crisis....Read More
In responding to COVID-19 many have adopted the rallying cry of "we are all in this together." But the stark reality is that we are not. Millions of vulnerable workers do not have access to COVID-19 testing, health care, sick leave or the physical o...Read More
Trafficking occurs before, during, and after crises. It may occur at any stage of displacement and in any location. Traffickers capitalize on the widespread human, material, social and economic losses and consequent vulnerabilities caused by emergen...Read More
Asia Floor Wage Alliance (AFWA), an Asian labour-led global labour and social alliance, has been monitoring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on workers in garment-producing countries through ground reports from AFWA partners and allies in Cambodi...Read More
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