H&M Signs Agreement To End Sexual Violence Against Women Workers In India

Words by Romana Hai

H&M Signs Agreement To End Sexual Violence Against Women Workers In India After Worker Killed
H&M Signs Agreement To End Sexual Violence Against Women Workers In India After Worker Killed
Fast-fashion retailer H&M has signed a legally binding agreement to end sexual violence and harassment against women workers at one of its largest suppliers in India.

The pledge follows the 2021 murder of a 20-year-old Dalit woman garment worker, Jeyasre Kathiravel.

In January 2021, Kathiravel was killed by her supervisor and found dead on farmland near her family home after completing a shift at Natchi Apparel, a factory that makes clothes for H&M in Kaithian Kottai, Tamil Nadu.

Kathiravel’s supervisor confessed to her murder and is awaiting trial. Kathiravel’s family believes that she was also raped before she was murdered. Her family also revealed that Kathiravel dealt with sexual harassment and intimidation at work but felt powerless to prevent the abuse.

Following her death, an independent investigation was conducted by the Worker Rights Consortium (WRC). While the results of the investigation are yet to be made public, WRC is said to have heard testimony from other female workers from Natchi Apparel, H&M, and Eastman Exports regarding the widespread gender-based violence.

Shortly after the incident, WRC began conversations with the Tamil Nadu Textile and Common Labour Union (TTCU), in addition to regional and international labor rights groups on improving the working conditions for females workers.

Under the new agreement H&M has signed, all workers, including supervisors and executives, will undergo gender-based violence training. In addition, the TTCU is planning to recruit and train female workers to take on the role of “shopfloor monitors,” a newly created position that will help ensure women are protected from both verbal harassment and sexual intimidation.

Furthermore, the agreement now allows women to report sexual harassment anonymously to an independent panel that has the power to not only dismiss perpetrators, but also seek monetary compensation for both victims and their families.

While the agreement marks the fashion industry’s latest attempt at addressing such matters, it is the first time a major brand has taken concrete steps toward ending gender-based violence in Asia’s garment industry.

“H&M Group wants to do our utmost to contribute to systemic and positive change in the industry and have therefore signed an agreement to work together with industry stakeholders to address, prevent and remedy gender-based violence and sexual harassment,” said an H&M company spokesman. “We expect this agreement to contribute to a broader industry-wide initiative going forward.”

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