Stakeholders in Sri Lanka’s RMG industry discuss strategies to minimise the pandemic’s impact on female workers

23 January 2024

The Dissemination Event “Minimising Pandemic Impact on the Female Workers in the RMG Industry of Sri Lanka” organised jointly by the Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS) and Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC), was held recently at the IPS conference room.

IPS Research Fellow Dr Asanka Wijesinghe recommended a protocol for apparel industries to help face health-related crises due to the physical nature of work in the Ready-Made Garments (RMG) sector, during his presentation on “Improving the Pandemic Policy Responses to Reduce Adverse Health Effects on Women Workers in the RMG Sector of Sri Lanka – Research Progress and Identified Policy Changes.

As part of the protocol, Dr Wijesinghe called for a digitised database of apparel sector workers, which includes demographic information of the workers, disaggregated by gender, age, disability status, and residential status.

He also highlighted the disproportionate unemployment of female workers during the emergency phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, limited access to healthcare, nutrition and financial support during this period, and the inability of these female workers to effectively be safe from the virus due to the nature of work and living conditions.

As solutions, Dr Wijesinghe proposed using the Employees Trust Fund (ETF) as unemployment benefits for unemployed women workers in a pandemic, better standards for accommodation facilities and converting designated locations to primary or intermediate care centres during a health crisis in major apparel manufacturing areas.

Dr Sana Naffa, Senior Programme Officer for the IDRC’s WomenRise Initiative, highlighted that health systems related to Sri Lanka’s apparel sector needed to be strengthened, with evidence-based research informing policy decisions ‘so no worker was left behind.’ Dr Naffa also stressed that no government was prepared for a serious health crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic and added that research was meant to function as indicators and not goals. IDRC’s WomenRise Initiative is a part of Canada’s drive for GEI (Gender, Equality and Inclusivity).

Members of the public sector, industry stakeholders, trade union members, members of IDRC’s WomenRise Initiative and IPS staff participated in this dissemination event to share their opinions and suggestions.

Disaster Management Centre (DMC) Deputy Director Mr Hiran Tilakaratne also asserted the need for pandemic preparedness and noted that there could be other disasters in future, such as the risk of radiation exposure, and necessary policies needed to be in place.

Speaking at the event, Community Physician Dr Inoka Suraweera called for a preparedness plan and proper locations for primary and intermediate health care centres.

Ministry of Women’s and Children’s Affairs Director (Planning and Monitoring) Ms Subhashini Kahatapitiya called for insurance for unemployed apparel sector workers. She noted the lack of waste disposal regulations in the sector, especially regarding hazardous waste, which could put workers in harm. She also called for proper implementation and monitoring of the sector’s labour policies and occupational health and safety measures.

Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) Secretary, Mr Yohan Lawrence, stated that during the COVID-19 pandemic, industry personnel made every effort to minimise its impact on workers and production. He noted that inadequate worker accommodation was a broader issue beyond the sector and called for comprehensive solutions. He also highlighted the potential benefits of the government’s digital ID initiative in improving housing facilities and addressing payment issues, as most workers had bank accounts.

Mr Anton Marcus, representing the Free Trade Zone and General Workers’ Union, pointed out that there are no provisions currently in place to convert ETF to function as an unemployment benefit and there is mixed reception for such a move among different trade unions. He suggested the establishment of a separate unemployment fund with initial funds provided by the government in partnership with international organisations and the apparel industry.