Deep Dive

Coordinated Action at Scale: Gender Based Violence & Harassment (GBVH) Prevention and Response in the Garment Supply Chain

ORGANIZED BY

Reimagining Industry to Support Equality, Asia Floor Wage Alliance, Ethical Trading Initiative - Bangladesh, Commercial and Industrial Workers’ Union - Sri Lanka

14-Sep

13:15-14:00

Conference Room 4

How can brands, suppliers, trade unions, women’s rights organizations, and civil society align their efforts to build trusted, survivor-centred systems for preventing and responding to GBVH?

Topic in Focus

How can brands, suppliers, trade unions, women’s rights organizations, and civil society align their efforts to build trusted, survivor-centred systems for preventing and responding to GBVH?

Overview

This participatory deep dive session will explore how brands, suppliers, trade unions, women’s rights organizations, and civil society can align their efforts to build trusted, survivor-centred systems for preventing and responding to gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH) in garment supply chains. Drawing on insights from the union-led initiatives such as the Dindigul Agreement and the Central Java Agreement, RISE/ETI Global Toolkit and the Bangladesh GBVH Industry Framework, participants will examine the systemic drivers of GBVH and the importance of coordinated action. Through worker-centred practical examples, facilitated group discussions, and plenary dialogue, participants will identify barriers to trusted reporting and remedy, clarify stakeholder roles, and develop practical recommendations to strengthen prevention, accountability, and industry-wide collaboration.

Why it matters

GBVH in global supply chains is a systemic issue rooted in unequal power dynamics, harmful social norms, and weak workplace systems. Addressing it requires union-led solutions and sustained collaboration across brands, suppliers, trade unions, worker organizations, and women’s rights groups. Through practical examples and interactive discussion, this session will explore how coordinated action can strengthen prevention, safe reporting, and survivor-centred remedy for women workers.

Who should attend?

Brands, suppliers, trade unions, NGOs, CSOs who are working in the global garment supply chain

What participants will gain

Practical lessons from worker-led approaches that have strengthened trust in GBVH reporting and remediation.
Clear actions each stakeholder can take to strengthen prevention, reporting, and survivor-centred remedy.
Key principles for designing reporting mechanisms that women workers trust, use, and can safely access.
Practical ideas for coordinating efforts across brands, suppliers, trade unions, and women’s rights organizations to achieve greater industry-wide impact.

Mia Juniya Fida

Head of the Women Workers’ Struggle Department, SBDK-KASBI at Batang Apparel Indonesia

Mia Juniya Fida is a garment worker in Batang Apparel Indonesia. In the factory she works in the ironing department. She is also a trade unionist and women workers’ rights activist with SBDK KASBI. In her union, she currently serves as Head of the Women Workers’ Struggle Department, focusing on strengthening the union’s work and advocacy for women workers’ rights. Under the Central Java Agreement for Gender Justice (CJA), she supports workers' education and awareness-raising on gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH), gender equality, and prevention mechanisms. Through these roles, she connects CJA commitments with practical action at the factory level, strengthening women workers' leadership and collective mechanisms to prevent and eliminate GBVH. Her broader work focuses on women workers' organizing, workers' education, and gender justice within the trade union movement.

Munir Uddin Shamim

Director, Programme, Evidence & Learning, Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI), Bangladesh

Shamim has over 24 years’ experience in the development and journalism sectors, leading teams to deliver significant rights-based programmes for national and international development agencies including German Development Cooperation (GIZ), BRAC University, British Council and the Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry. With a master’s degree in Sociology from the University of Dhaka, Shamim specializes in participatory action and evaluative research, programming and project cycle management, and human rights in the workplace. At ETI, Shamim utilises his wealth of previous experience managing programmes for donors such as USAID, NORAD, FCDO and SIDA, providing strategic direction and oversight for all of ETI Bangladesh programmes. His responsibilities include overseeing M&E, reporting and continual improvement initiatives including sharing learnings and building capacities of civil society, donor and NGO peers to advance our advocacy work and improve the Bangladesh CSO eco-system. He also leads various studies on gender and women’s empowerment. He closely works with key RMG stakeholders, both at global and national levels, and manages ETI Bangladesh’s social dialogue programme and gender-sensitive workplace programme.

Smita Nimilita

Global Foundations Program Lead & Bangladesh Country Lead, Reimagining Industry to Support Equality (RISE)

Smita leads RISE’s Bangladesh portfolio and global programs advancing worker wellbeing. She leads the RISE Foundations program, which brings together RISE’s legacy programs, Gap Inc.’s P.A.C.E. and HERproject, with a worker rights component from ILO Better Work. Her work focuses on advancing worker wellbeing and women’s advancement across global supply chains, with particular expertise in gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH), gender equality, and worker-centered approaches. Smita brings more than 13 years of experience in international development and sustainable business, working with companies, suppliers, workers, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders to translate commitments into practical action. Her experience includes leading programs and research on GBVH, financial inclusion, climate resilience, mental health, digital learning, life skills and leadership, women’s health, policy and advocacy, and sustainable business strategies. Prior to joining RISE, Smita was a Research Associate at Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA), where she worked on rigorous research and development programs. She holds an MBA from North South University, Bangladesh.

Swasthika Arulingham

President, Commercial and Industrial Workers' Union (CIWU)

Swasthika Arulingham plays a key role in advocating for workers' rights in Sri Lanka. In addition to her role as President of the Commercial and Industrial Workers Union (CIWU), she is a lawyer and human rights activist whi has been at the forefront of workers' struggles in Sri Lanka. She is also a members of the Asia Floor Wage Alliance Women's Leadership Committee (AFWA-WLC), contributing to regional efforts to combat gender-based violence and harassment and promote fair wages for workers.