With the financial support
of Freedom Fund, US and with the collaboration with Geneva Global, US a new
program has been launched in four districts in Tamilnadu viz Namakkal, Erode, Dindigul
and Virudhunagar district to reduce the risks of young women in Textile
Industries with 13 NGO partners.
Women’s Organisation in
Rural Development (WORD), Leaf Society and Donbosco Anbu Illam are the
implementing partners for this project in Namakkal District.
Textile
Industries are the major source of income for most families in the district.
Adolescent girls, young women, and migrant workers were recruited at spinning
mills where the working condition was extremely exploitative.
Though
the initiatives by the government had led to improvements in labour conditions,
the problem continued to exist. The problems include, working overtime,
restrictions on movement and communication with others, vulnerable to various
exploitations and extremely low pay.
Hence,
to reduce the young worker’s vulnerability to high-risk jobs, the NGOs will
work alongside local government bodies and businesses to improve jobs for young
women.
The concentrate co-ordinated
efforts under this project are
- Engaging with communities to improve access to education, training, and employment opportunities, and reinforcing community structures and social services to reduce vulnerability among adolescent girls and young workers.
- Help families develop better economic opportunities and reduce their reliability on moneylenders and enable the government assistance schemes reach them effectively.
- Working with district and state-level authorities to strengthen young worker rights.
The official launch of this project for Namakkal District held on 9th September 2015 at Hotel Coastal Residency, Namakkal which was jointly organised by WORD, Leaf Society & Donbosco Anbu Illam.
Mrs. M. Renida Sarala, Director, WORD welcomed all. Mr. A. Balamurugan and Mr. A. K. Jaleel, Program Managers, Geneva Global delivered the key note address. Mr. C. Manjunathan, Inspector of Labour, Namakkal District, Dr. Sherin Philip, District Social Welfare Officer-Namakkal, Mrs. Anita Rosalin Mary, Deputy Director, Department of Industrial health & safety, Mr. M. Selvam, District Child Protection Officer, Namakkal, Mr. A. B. Antony Jennit, Project Director, National Child Labour Project-Namakkal delivered the felicitation note. Fr. Amalopavaraj, Director, Donbosco Illam delivered the vote of thanks.
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