Child labour in subcontracted ready-made garment supply chains in Bangladesh: From impact assessment to holistic due diligence

The ready-made garment (RMG) sector is the primary employment sector in Bangladesh. Whilst efforts to improve conditions in export factories have advanced since the Rana Plaza tragedy, there is still little understanding of subcontracting and child labour linked to RMG exports. To date, subcontracted worksites continue to escape scrutiny and lack investment. Several organizations call for more research on this segment and how it may be linked to global exports. This project will close this information gap and build interventions to support vulnerable children and youth in RMG worksites not reached by current due diligence efforts.

Phase A of the project will research and document missing evidence of risk, prevalence and root causes of child labour in subcontracted and upstream RMG supply chains and links with export production. Data will be collected in worker communities, in partnership with a local grassroots organisation, and through supply chain investigations, conducted in collaboration with international garment companies and their Bangladeshi suppliers.

Phase B will be designed based on Phase A's findings and will focus on interventions, based on GoodWeave’s proven model, to support companies’ child labour remediation and prevention efforts in the RMG sector.