Journalists in Gazipur attend workshop on amplifying women garment workers' voices

A participatory workshop for journalists was held in Gazipur on Monday to highlight the experiences, challenges and possibilities of women workers in the country's garment industry more prominently in the media, amid automation and the environmentally friendly just transition process.

Fifty-five journalists from various mainstream media outlets working in Gazipur took part in the day-long workshop organised by the Centre for Communication Action Bangladesh (C-CAB).

C-CAB Executive Director Jain Mahmud conducted the workshop. The day-long workshop was held under the second phase of the Aparajita project, funded by the H&M Foundation.

The workshop discussed the role of women workers in the garment industry, improving their livelihoods and building their skills. It also covered the impact of technological change, the carbon net-zero target and various aspects of just transition.

Emphasis was also placed on moving beyond prevailing negative ideas and stereotypes in news coverage to highlight women workers' contributions, experiences and aspirations, and on using gender-sensitive language.

In the discussion, Jain Mahmud highlighted just transition, the carbon net-zero target and the changing context of the garment industry. He also stressed the media's role in building public awareness on these issues and the need to change conventional thinking in reporting on women workers.

Journalists took an active part in the discussion, sharing their work experiences and views on the subject.

On the issue, Jain Mahmud said, 'In conventional news reports on the country's garment industry, the ideas of cutting carbon emissions and just transition, as well as the impact of technological change on women workers, often do not get due importance. Yet there is ample scope for analytical and investigative reporting on these subjects.'

The organisers said the workshop aimed to encourage journalists to highlight women workers' experiences, possibilities and challenges more prominently in the media and to report beyond conventional patterns.