The United Nations Working Group on business and human rights has said that “the lessons of the Rana Plaza disaster have still not been learned.” The Group reacted after a fire in a shoe factory in Manila last week, allegedly claimed over 70 lives. “The tragic death of factory workers, mainly women, is a stark reminder of the urgent need for action to protect workers in the garment industry, despite of the Bangladesh Accord for Fire and Building Safety, created two years ago, on the same date as the Manila shoe factory fire,” said Michael Addo, who currently heads the expert group.
After the collapse of the Rana Plaza building with more than 3,000 garment workers inside in 2013 followed by fire at Tazreen Fashions factory in Bangladesh, the world woke to the harsh reality about disastrous working conditions in such factories. The Bangladesh Accord, signed by over 150 corporations from 20 countries, global and local trade unions, NGOs and workers’ rights groups is currently evaluating factory conditions in the country.
The Rana Plaza disaster also led to progress, supported by the International Labour Organization (ILO), on labour law reform, labour inspection, workplace safety and compensation for injuries to take steps to strengthen inspections of working conditions in factories. Government efforts have been undertaken in collaboration with the Accord and with another initiative, the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety, led by 26 mainly North American companies.
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