Toward the Development of Post Covid-19 Gender Policy and Accountability Measures to End Modern Slavery in the Bangladeshi Garment Sector: A Policy Brief for the UK Government and Stakeholders

This policy brief focuses on gender discrimination in the RMG in Bangladesh during the Covid-19 pandemic. Bangladesh has ratified the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and signed up to the SDGs, committing to promote gender justice to ensure that women can claim and exercise their rights under domestic and international law. However, Bangladesh employment law offers little protection to women, and what protection it offers is not enforced. Factory owners and managers disregard the law with impunity. This policy brief highlights the vulnerability of women RMG workers, particularly in factories that produced garments products for the UK retailers before and during the Covid-19 pandemic. This policy brief calls upon the various stakeholders, including the Bangladesh Ministry of Labour, international buyers, including those in the UK, The UK government and RMG factory owners, to promote gender justice for women RMG workers. This policy brief highlights key policy recommendations for the UK Government.