This project will provide legal services to Bangladeshi women and children that are forced to work in illegal labor conditions in sweatshops, women that are made to wear veils, children locked up in adult prisons, and other pressing legal and human rights violations in Bangladesh that disproportionately affect women and children.
Illegal working conditions in Bangladesh garment factories have killed thousands of people in recent years, largely due to fires and building collapse, and employed scores of illegal, child laborers. Enforcement of labor conditions and anti-trafficking laws have been nonexistent, as the 3.4 million garment workers in Bangladesh generate substantial revenue for the factory owners, local officials, and international garment companies.
The Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST) provides legal aid, mediation and representation to children and women across Bangladesh. BLAST has supported prosecution of labor rights violations, secured the release of children in conflict with the law, and provided emergency support to children forced into domestic labor. BLAST fights for women's rights including recent landmark cases challenging the force veiling of women.
Support to BLAST to increase labor and women and child rights in the garment factories and across Bangladesh will force factories to maintain human working conditions and take responsibility for labor violations that put their workers at risk. Support will also assist in eliminating child labor and abuse in Bangladesh. BLAST is a founding member of the Haki Network - a global coalition of local organizations fighting together, across borders for justice. All proceeds go to BLAST.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
