Shobola: amfori’s Women Empowerment Project in Bangladesh

Over the last 35 to 40 years, Bangladesh’s Ready-Made Garment sector has been a promising entry point for both rural and urban women seeking work. The RMG industry’s historical evolution over the decades has served as a catalyst for the country’s development in terms of foreign trade, jobs, and, most importantly, female worker empowerment. Women who would never have imagined working outside the home or on the farm are now semi-skilled workers who contribute to the national GDP. Except the COVID-19 drop-off in 2020, the sector is responsible for 84% of total export earnings and roughly 10% of the country’s GDP¹.

amfori unveiled its Women Empowerment Programme in September 2018, which is now part of the company’s Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Strategy, “Enterprise for Equal.” It aims to assist companies in promoting gender equality and empowering women in their global supply chains and workplaces in order to improve efficiency, sustainability, and justice.

The program began with three projects in the three largest sourcing countries for amfori members: Bangladesh, India, and China. amfori, in collaboration with its project partners CSR Centre and DBL Group, launched the Shobola Project in Bangladesh in January 2019.

Objective of the Shobola Project

The main objective of Shobola Project was to empower women working in the Bangladeshi RMG sector and highlight the resulting business and operational benefits to amfori members and producers. The Project aimed to develop a systematic approach to raise awareness and train top to mid-level management in gender equality and anti-sexual harassment. The overall goal has been to empower female workers through leadership and capacity building trainings.

The Project also aimed to create an enabling environment for female workers in six factories. Through building their confidence towards attaining their full potential and to contribute to the betterment of their personal and professional lives.