Alleviation: An International Journal of Nutrition, Gender & Social Development, ISSN 2348-9340 Volume 6, Number 6 (2019), 1-9
© Arya PG College, Panipat & Business Press India Publication, Delhi
www.aryapgcollege.com

Economic Role of Women in Garment Industry

Parul Singh
Assistant Professor
Department of Home Science
DAV College for Girls, Yamunanagar
(Haryana), India
Email: pundirparul82@gmail.com

Abstract

Women in India constitute 7.5 per cent of the world’s total population. They comprise half of the Indian population and nearly 1/3rd of the total work force. Although men and women work together in India, but still there are gender differences in the nature as well as conditions of their employment. Both in the organized and unorganized sectors of work, women face less favourable conditions, have less access to education and training; therefore possess few skills and capacities. Garment industry predominantly employs women in widespread areas with all known forms of exploitation. There is extreme work pressures, no job security, absence of basic facilities, extended working hours and denial of leave, bonus, gratuity, provident fund and ESI (Employee State Insurance). Garments define the personality, behaviour and the way of thinking of the people. Currently, all international brands are found in India. Indian garment industry has seen progress from emerging stage to successful industry today. Indian garment industry is composed of handlooms, power looms, mills, dyeing and printing units and fashion houses. The globalization of the garment industry has led to significant changes in its structure. The garment industry is now controlled by number of large retailers who give contract for the production of clothes under their own labels. Women are contributing significantly in this as more than 2/3 rd of the global labour in the clothing industry is of women. Government initiatives and global development work in garment industry making the industries more favourable in terms of business prospective and work culture. These gains give women a chance to utilize their potential and get maximum of their efforts.

Keywords: Empowerment, Garment Industry, Globalization, Women.

Introduction

If we talk globally, the apparel sector is among the largest employers of women workers. This sector holds huge power and potential to influence and impact the lives of millions of women in developing countries and by extension, their families, near ones and communities. Making sure that impact is positive and critical, companies can and do take individual action plans for betterment of women empowerment. Beside this, there are even many opportunities for the organizations to use their collective influence to nourish the partnerships, programs and policies that can create long lasting, meaningful improvements in garment workers’ life. This paper explores the areas where women workers face problems and how apparel sector companies can drive outcomes or solutions that meaningfully enhance women’s economic empowerment.

Indian Garment Industry at a Glance

According to India Brand Equity Foundation in India (2018), the Indian textile industry is estimated at around US$ 120 billion now and expected to reach US$ 230 billion by 2020. The Indian Textile Industry contributes approximately 2 per cent to India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), 10 per cent to manufacturing related production and 14 per cent to Index of Industrial Production (IIP).
As per the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (2017), Indian khadi products sales increased by 33 per cent year-on-year to Rs 2,005 crores (US$ 311.31 million) in 2016-17 and the same is hopefully will touch Rs 5,000 crores (US$ 776.33 million) sales target for 2018-19.
The total area under cultivation of cotton in India is expected to increase by 7 per cent to 11.3 million hectares in 2017-18, on account of expectations of higher returns from increasing prices and improvement in crops during the year 2016-17.
Indian exports of locally made retail and lifestyle goods and products increased at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10 per cent from 2013 to 2016, mainly led by bedding bath and home decor products and textiles products.

Indian Garment Industry and Women Contribution

Garment Industry is the 2nd only to agriculture in providing employment in India. In the past five to seven years, the number of women employees/workers have increased by 15 per cent in garment industry nationally. The industry experts believe that better and healthy working environment, consistent and stable income and other incentives by employers are attracting women workers into garment industry.

Around 3.5 crore people are working in textile industry in India, of which nearly 60 per cent (2 crores) are women. If we see the last 5 years records, the industry has seen growth of over 15 per cent in women employment. In Tamil Nadu, there are few companies which employ only women.

As per the rough estimates, nearly 90 lakh people are working in textile industry in Gujarat, including 45 lakh to 50 lakh women. Around 80 per cent to 85 per cent of the women are employed in garment sector, followed by fabric and other sectors in the industry (Mishra 2015)

Problematic Areas for Women in Garment Industry

Despite of all things, economic growth, potential and opportunities; there are few areas which need to be looked out where the women workers face problems whether that affects them personally, professionally or socially. If we look into the history and you’ll find countless stories of textile bosses down south running manufacturing houses like a boss who have their own rules and regulation despite of government rules and regulations.

Wages are always or most often paid irregularly. Overtime is very common in garment industry, often involuntary, when orders have to be delivered quickly. They cannot refuse to undertake the extra work given to them. Unpaid overtime is a major problem faced by women workers.

Areas Where Women Workers Face Problems

Women Work as Slaves

India is a global hub for textiles and manufacturing, there are many instances of child labour in this industry. Report points out, at some places, young women are kept in what can amount to labour bondage through a practice and they named it ‘Sumangali Scheme.’ The girls, some younger than 14, are paid very less than the minimum wage for one to three years. After this work tenure is finished, the employer pays the withheld wages to the family as a lump sum amount to be used as a dowry or bribe.

Girls Start Working At a Very Young Age

Across the globe, the fashion and textile industry employs some 250 million children, as young as five years old. Working very young means one thing: they are not in schools and forced to work. As per the general concept, it has been observed that an educated girl will reinvest 90 per cent of her future income in her family and in turn, community or society. Putting the girls in schools instead of factories is an investment in the success and development of communities and our global economy.

Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment is a widespread problem in the garment and fashion industry, both in textile and garment factories but also in the modeling world. It is often large numbers of women, young, inexperienced and in some cases, illiterate, being supervised by a small number of men.

Pregnancy Discrimination

Women are forced to undergo medical assessment test before taking a job or major attention is paid to whether a woman is pregnant or not. If she found pregnant, women will be rejected.

Bad Working Conditions

The most common problem whether nationally or internationally, there is always a complaint about unhealthy, polluted, unhygienic working areas which affects the workers’ health, wealth and life. As per a report, working conditions are so bad that 90 per cent of female workers in the textile and garment industry face cases of mass fainting.

Limited or No Knowledge of Rights

One can fight if one knows his/her right. People work for a company but only a few know what their rights are. For example many of the employees don’t have clarity on the rights related to working conditions and rights related to financial life PF, ESI, Gratuity etc.

Empowering Women through Equitable Employment

Women’s economic empowerment or women economic progress is about women’s ability to choose whether to work, what to work, how much to work and how to spend or how to save their incomes.

If we talk about the employment in garment and textile sector, the same provides several opportunities and possibilities which support women’s empowerment; however, it also poses risks and can restrict women’s empowerment also if not taken care of properly. Companies that try to avoid the negative impacts, while supporting opportunities to enhance the empowerment potential of apparel sector jobs, will deliver the utmost benefits to women workers. Women’s economic empowerment is multifaceted and requires the convergence of economic and non-economic factors, including safety, non-violence, thus, effective methodology should be implemented to cater the things in favour of women empowerment.

Every company can act to benefit or favour women in opted operations, policies and steps throughout their value chain process. Companies can also enable and influence women’s empowerment across the market by giving incentives, collaborating and communicating clearly with other companies, partners, individuals, and policymakers across the sector and supply chains vendors. Companies should involve strategic opportunities to enable other stakeholders and to influence the issues and actors that affect women’s empowerment on a larger scale which can make significant positive impact and meaningfully endorse change. Company should focus on three critical areas where there is much need and potential for this particular sector to take action on the limitations like informality, gender-based violence and women’s unpaid and care work.

What Companies Can Do

Companies can contribute by various means to save women’s rights and to encourage women empowerment in garment industry as follows: • Condemning violence against women
• Ending the habituation of violence and harassment
• Supporting education and compliance
• Engaging men also in women grievance cell meetings etc.
• Supporting organizations that help victims
• Making a public stand and advocate

Conclusion

Economic empowerment cannot be possible in the aspect of physical threats, violence and harassment of any kind. Freedom from verbal and physical violence is very essential not only to a woman’s comfort and happiness but also to her ability and capacity to contribute in this field or market and of course to retain the benefits of her earnings. However it is studied that violence remains prevalent in the work areas, in to and fro movements for work and in public spaces distressing many women in the apparel sector.
The barriers in front of women economic empowerment are very complex and very varied in nature. We have to interact and restudy everything from the policies, rules, regulations, norms, culture, expectations, targets, living standard, education, practice, humanity, everything related to personal, professional and social ground. The garment sector has shown some positive signs which are promoting women empowerment in garment industry. Now, it is time to excavate and expand the work efforts to address in a better way the needs of women workers in the global value chain and of course in alliance with suppliers, NGOs, international development agencies and government. Every company can take some steps to assist women’s economic empowerment in the zones where one has direct control, like owned operations or big suppliers. This is the time and opportunity when garment industry can take a big step, come together and support women empowerment through their knowledge, research, advocacy and communication etc.
Together, the garment industry can influence policymakers and government and can advocate for the better changes for women.

References

Government of India (2005) Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. New Delhi: Ministry of Rural Development.
India Brand Equity Foundation in India (2018) Textile industry & Market Growth in India. Available at https://www.bsr.org/reports.
Kane G (2015) Facts on India's Garment Industry- NRDC Clean Clothes Campaign. Available at https://cleanclothes.org/resources/publications/factsheets/india-factsheet-february-2015.pdf.
Khadi and Village Industries Commission (2017) Khadi products sale rises 33% to 2,005 crore in FY'17 . Available at https://m.economictimes.com/industry/cons.products.
Maquila Solidarity Network and Cividep India (2016) Bangalore, India: Initiatives Promoting Quality Workplace Childcare. Available at https://www.maquilasolidarity.org .
Mishra P (2015) More Women Join Textile Industry In Gujarat. Available at https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com.