About RISE:
It is estimated that 75 percent of the 60 million garment workers are women who may experience gender inequality, and instances of harassment or violence at work, among other systemic barriers to empowerment and gender equity (source: the ILO). The COVID-19 pandemic and an increasingly difficult financial environment add to mounting pressure on women workers. BSR’s HERproject, Gap Inc., P.A.C.E, CARE, and Better Work have come together to form a new initiative called RISE: Reimagining Industry to Support Equality in order to scale impact and accelerate equality for women workers in global garment, footwear, and Home furnishings supply chains.
RISE will pursue its mission through three core strategies:
(1) strengthening knowledge and skills for factory workers and managers,
(2) transforming business practices to include gender equality, and
(3) influencing public policy and other key actors.
RISE’s capacity-building workplace programs aim to increase women workers’ dignity and equality in the workplace, by changing both behaviors and systems. The programs expand women workers’ choices and their ability and confidence to pursue their rights and opportunities. The training also engages male managers and coworkers to challenge social norms in the workplace. Program topics range from life skills such as communication and problem-solving, general and reproductive health, financial health and security, freedom from sexual harassment and gender-based violence, and women’s advancement and leadership.
RISE goes beyond workplace programs to bring positive change to the whole industry and influence policy improvements. It includes workers’ voices and representation at every level from governance to project implementation, ensuring that the work responds to women workers’ needs and priorities. RISE has broad stakeholder involvement in its governance: brands, suppliers, labor organizations and unions, and women’s movements. Brands, buyers, and suppliers can become a member of RISE and invest in a workplace program in their garment supply chain. Programs are currently operating in Bangladesh, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, India, Egypt and Pakistan. A unified approach will make it easier and more efficient for the industry and wider stakeholders to drive an accelerated and lasting impact on gender equality. It will also improve efficiency through the coordination of activities, a shared data system, and eliminating duplication. The four founding partner organizations already work with 50 of the world’s largest apparel,
footwear and home furnishings brands and have reached more than five million women workers globally. The ambition is to increase this to up to 20 million workers over the next decade.
The assignment at hand involves NRT’s participation in the implementation of the RISE Respect program in Bangladesh. RISE Respect is a comprehensive initiative that focuses on preventing and remediating Gender-Based Violence and Harassment (GBVH) within the garment supply chain. The program is designed to create a more harmonious and equitable work environment for female and male workers, with the ultimate goal of preventing violence and harassment in the workplace and intimate relationships.
The RISE Respect program is structured around three primary workstreams:
- Capacity Strengthening: This component involves conducting training sessions for women and men workers and managers within garment factories. The sessions are designed to build an understanding of gender issues, social norms, communication, types of violence, and how to prevent and address GBVH. These training sessions aim to reach 3-5% of female and male workers and 10% of supervisors. Joint sessions between workers and managers are also conducted to facilitate dialogue, develop a shared language on GBVH, and create mutually agreed strategies for prevention and remediation.
- Market Transformation: RISE Respect seeks to engage industry actors, including brands, suppliers, and worker representatives, to enhance operating practices at all levels of global value chains. This is done to support greater gender equality outcomes.
- Influencing: This component aims to align with existing legal frameworks and generate new evidence to inform progressive public policies on tackling GBVH. It also emphasizes the importance of ensuring that women workers’ voices are heard.
The assignment tasks NRT with delivering the RISE Respect program in garment factories in Bangladesh, adhering to the RISE curriculum and program design. The program encompasses several elements, including capacity-strengthening sessions, joint sessions, policy and system strengthening, awareness campaigns, surveys, and the distribution of informational materials.