A recent survey has found that 79 per cent of female employees who quit their professions in the apparel industry did so to take care of their children.
Currently, 71 per cent of these female employees are in charge of raising their kids. As such, many find it difficult to juggle employment and childcare at the same time, according to the findings of the study Unpaid Care Work: Perspectives of Employers and Workers in the RMG Sector.
The study, which was carried out by women’s welfare organisation Karmojibi Nari in collaboration with Oxfam Bangladesh, also discovered that about 36 per cent of female employees feel overburdened while attempting to balance both responsibilities. Furthermore, 41 per cent said they never had any free time.
The research report was presented by Creative Pathway Bangladesh’s managing director, Zakia Haque, during the seminar held in the auditorium of the Cirdap International Conference Centre.
The seminar’s principal guest was Meher Afroz Chumki, a former state minister for women’s and children’s affairs, and its organiser was Karmojibi Nari Shirin Akhtar, the founder president.
Sanjida Sultana, an additional executive director of Karmojibi Nari, was the seminar moderator.
Chumki stated that having a nursing area should be mandated for every establishment.
She added that the results had to be given to the ministry instead of just being discussed at seminars.
The Directorate of Women’s Affairs’ deputy director of planning and evaluation, Ayesha Siddiqui, stated that the government has already started a project to establish roughly 60 daycare centres in various industrial districts.
She also said that sanitary napkins for female workers should be provided by the government and factory owners in cooperation.
Ruby, a female employee, stated: “I began working in a factory at a very young age. But now that I’m older, I lost my job.”
She grieved, “We are getting laid off when we become skilled.”
