From paramedic to nurse: delivering health care in Bangladesh

Shilpy Akter grew up in a modest household where her father, Md. Abdul Hoque, worked as a fruit seller, and her mother, Rahima Begum, was a housewife. With two younger siblings and limited income, continuing her education after passing the school secondary exam (SSC) seemed impossible.

In 2012, with the help of her uncle who worked in the pathology department of Gonoshasthaya Kendra (GK), Shilpy enrolled in paramedic training at Sreepur GK. After successfully completing the training, she began her career as a paramedic in Dhamsona/Pathalia Union, Savar. Her dedication and strong work ethic quickly earned her a promotion to supervisor within six months.

Shilpy later joined the WSM project, where she organized health programs in garment factories and communities. Through this work, she developed a deep connection with garment workers and village women. With support from WSM, she received advanced training in normal delivery and began assisting with home births alongside Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs).

Motivated by the impact of her work, Shilpy continued to grow professionally. She was transferred to Shimulia GK and later enrolled in a nursing program under the Technical Board. Her earnings helped support her family—she repaired their home, bought cows for her father to start a more stable livelihood, funded her siblings' education, and even purchased land with combined savings.

Now married and pursuing a degree at an open university, Shilpy is about to receive her nursing certificate. She proudly identifies as a nurse—a dream that once seemed out of reach due to financial hardship. Thanks to the support from GK and WSM, Shilpy has not only changed her own life but also uplifted her entire family and community health especially for pre and post-natal care.

Strength in numbers: Some results by the WSM partners in Bangladesh in 2023

Labour rights: 102.878 people, of which 50% women and 9% younger than 35 years, were involved in the services by the partners to improve their working conditions. 

• 200.000 workers increased their awareness on labour standards and especially the minimum wages for the garment sector
• 3.864 workers per year were organised to increase membership
• 154 union members received basic training and 139 union leaders advanced training on labour rights and collective bargaining 
• 859 garment sector union members received legal assistance

Health

• Almost 149.119 members, of which 61% women increased their awareness about health and hygiene, family planning, health related messages, gender policy and rights.
• 32.245 garment workers and vulnerable people, of which over half were women, were organised to join the health insurance of GK.
• 41 women received basic training as a traditional birth attendee, and 127 members received training to work as a paramedic. 94 paramedics of which 73 are women, are trained to promote health insurance to the general public.
• Nearly 23.753 people received medical advice through specialised health camps, preventive care programs and were supplied with medicines, of which 15.937 are women. 7.286 garment workers, of which 4.772 women, received medical advice aid and support through health camps and health screenings.

Social security

• 271.614 workers, of which 140.858 are women and 131.295 under 35 years are informed about social security through media, poster and leaflets.
• 61 workers, of which 38 women and 60 under 35 years, were part of two basic trainings on social security.

Vocational training: 127 people, of which 97% women and  all under 35 years received vocational skill training through GK, on computer skills, women driving and to work as a paramedic.

Social economy: especially focusing on elderly, 100 seniors were supported through social economy initiative to ensure betterment of health, of which 63 were elderly women.

224 members of BSPAN were mobilised for advocacy actions during national days and 65 BSPAN members interacted with policy makers to promote access to social protection  and to ratify ILO Convention 102 on minimum standards for social security. 

Learning: 1.065 members increased their awareness on social security, shared lessons and experiences. 49 BSPAN members received  training on OSH as fundamental rights and how to use  communication and social dialogue for SP Campaign.

A health worker excels - GK paramedics digitally empowered

Hi, I’m Sharmin, a 19-year-old with a big dream: to become a nurse and help people in need. Recently, I got accepted into the GK training program, which has been an incredible experience.

In 2023, International Women’s Day focused on “DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality”, and inspired by this, GK encouraged paramedics like me to learn computer skills alongside our regular training. I had never used a computer before—my older brother was the only one in our family who had one. But I quickly realized that knowing how to use Word and Excel is essential for any job nowadays.

Excel fascinated me. It’s like magic—it can calculate percentages and analyze data. Now, armed with this knowledge, I feel more confident during our door-to-door visits in rural villages. As a paramedic, I can provide health information effectively and be a first responder when needed.

This training is just the beginning, but I’m hopeful. The blend of healthcare and technology empowers me to serve my community better. Together, we can make a difference—one step at a time.

When a gender reveal isn't a good thing - testimony from a GK traditional birth attendee in Bangladesh

Halima, 57 years: "I received Traditional Birth Attenders (TBA) training from Gonoshasthay Kendra (GK) and began working in my village. In Bangladesh, maternity care often occurs at home due to stigma around women going to hospitals. As a TBA, I provide health advice to pregnant women and support them during follow-up visits with GK paramedics and I also bring them to our sub-centers for ultrasound scans. Unfortunately, I sometimes encounter uncomfortable situations where families try to know the fetus’s gender. This can be dangerous: if it’s a boy, often the family is very happy and the mother praised and taken care of. However, if it’s turns out to be a girl, families can be unhappy and can blame the mother, neglect her or even lead to physical and mental abuse them.

To prevent this, in 2020, the Bangladesh High Court issued a rule to prevent gender-based discrimination against unborn children. GK not only abides this but to contribute addressing this serious issue, has incorporated gender awareness into our midwifery training. Through workshops, we educate elders and family members that woman are not responsible for a baby’s gender and that daughters are just as much of a blessing as sons. Within our role of traditional birth attendees, we can help eliminate discrimination and contribute to dismantling societal stigma.

Since my gender awareness training, I’ve actively promoted change within many  families and villages and have been proud to witness this."

Bringing health services to over 10.000 Bangladeshi people amidst a pandemic in 2020: GK

In 2020, besides offering vocational skill courses to 79 people, GK also offered access to health amidst the pandemic. Over 10.000 members (67% women, 69% young workers) received medical advice or health insurance on preventive care with drug essentials, specialized health camps, grants for destitute groups, HIV/AIDS Screening. 162 people (85% women and 93% young) are provided with basic training on traditional birth attendants, rapport building and communication for paramedics, gender workshops and disabilities. 

During any national and international calamities, GK always tries to respond as early as possible through medical services, reconstruction of damaged houses, and food distribution, including safe drinking water. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, GK was working 24/7 across the board. Efforts included various preventive measures in the hospitals and at the community level, including the development of a rapid test kit to detect COVID-19 named GR COVID-19 Rapid Dot Blot, raising fund for an Emergency Food Distribution Program, taking steps to increase social awareness about COVID-19 using social media and distributing leaflets to the general public, establishing a Designated Flu Corner at the Savar hospital and organizing a COVID-19 Call Center to provide telemedicine support and advice (report here).

WSM partner in Bangladesh, Gonoshasthaya Kendra (GK), the largest health provider after the Bangladeshi government, is one of the oldest non-profit, non-governmental, and national-level organizations in Bangladesh. GK is a people-oriented healthcare-based organization that provides services in health care, women's empowerment, education, disaster management, emergency relief, nutrition, water & sanitation, agriculture, basic rights-based advocacy, and research. Over the past five decades, GK has expanded its services to cover approximately 1.67 million people in 1,017 villages. GK serves mostly vulnerable and low-income groups in rural areas, mainly through its 44 rural sub-centers and six referral hospitals.

International Day For Older Persons

This 1st of October is 30th anniversary of the United Nations designated day to focus and raise awareness about the well-being and needs of the elderly people. "The world marks the 30th anniversary of the International Day of Older Persons as we reckon with the disproportionate and severe impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has wrought on older persons around the world – not only on their health, but on their rights and well-being." António Guterres, UN Secretary-General has said.

2020 to 2030 is the 'Decade of Healthy Ageing'. Over the next 30 years, the number of older persons worldwide is projected to be more than double, reaching more than 1.5 billion persons. 80% of them will be in low and middle-income countries. Projections indicate that number of 60-plus people in India will increase to 14.3 crore in 2021 and 17.3 crore in 2026.

Since several years, WSM has facilitated exchanges between OKRA and GK regarding elderly, looking at the changing demographics and ageing. This theme and approach have been shared with the Asia partners and now also in other continents. 

For this 1st October 2020, OKRA contributed to having messages from two Belgian ministers here.  GK organized a discussion meeting in Bangladesh, with Sherpur Upazila Health Officer Dr. Happy Hossain. All the workers of the public health center, Sherpur along with the senior people of the area, Executive Director of the Public Health Center, Golam Mostafa Dulal attended the program. In 2018, GK supported public health centers to form 10 ′′senior clubs′′ in different rural areas of Bangladesh. The clubs provide social services with primary healthcare for seniors and helped keep elderly active and involved. 

Garment workers, health, elderly - Bangladesh in 2019

“My name is Tahmina and I’m 25 years old. I worked as a garment worker for a 5.300BDT salary (58 EUR) per month but later, I became an operator in another factory and there I received 7,300BDT (80 EUR) as monthly salary. In 2015, I became a member of NGWF and attended several trainings, meetings and processions. I learned about the rights of workers and received women leadership training. In 2017, I started to organize workers by myself and in July I was elected secretary of our union. In 2019 however, I was fired verbally without any further notice from the factory. One month later, a grievance notice was sent to me for legal payment of 105,838BDT (1,150 EUR) to the factory management. I filed a case against them with the help of NGWF and their Legal Aid. The case was solved and I received 100,000BDT (1,087 EUR) as compensation. With that money, I bought some land for farming. I feel honored to be a member of NGWF and my dream is to grow awareness about labor rights among workers”.

First, NGWF is helping its garment workers members through legal aid assistance and advocates for better working conditions in Bangladesh through rallies, hunger strikes, human chains, memoranda handovers to the government, etc). In total, 62.330 members have improved their existing job, for example through basic training on labor rights and advanced training on collective bargaining. NGWF is also helping their members to get better social security coverage. Over 100.000 workers (67% women and 84% youngsters) were made more aware about social security through posters and leaflets and 55.000 workers were reached through their media releases regarding the situation and rights of garment workers. Many of the staff and members of NGWF are young workers, since they focus on youth leadership and development.

I am Sumi from Bhola Barishal in Bangladesh. I am 25 years old. I was forced by my parents to marry at the age of 17. As a day laborer, my husband hardly had any work. At that time, we could only eat one meal a day. I could not take care for my family, so I went to Dhaka on my own. There, I joined a button factory at the age of 19, which my husband also joined later. After working there for a couple of years, we got our first daughter and later we got a second one. Hence, we felt sick several times during that year. It was very hard to live with a limited budget, since we had to spent a lot for doctor visits and medicines. Then, I heard about a medical camp near the factory where I work. I went there and took a health insurance of GK. Now we can visit a doctor and buy medicines at a lower cost. Together with my husband I participated in some awareness raising trainings on various health issues, personal hygiene and occupational health safety. I also try to teach my children about personal hygiene. Now, my family feels less sick thanks to the health services provided by GK. 

The second WSM partner in Bangladesh is Gonoshasthaya Kendra (GK), the largest health provider after the Bangladeshi government. They started out by focusing on the rural areas, but now they also include garment workers. As it became clear in the above testimony, through the services of GK more people have enrolled in social security schemes or systems of social insurance (like pensions, maternity benefits, unemployment benefits, etc.). People also have improved access to health, because they subscribed to a health insurance system or were reached by activities offering health services by partner organisations, such as health camps, awareness raising, health insurance, day observation, personal hygiene, etc. In 2019, over 100.000 members (54% women and 79% youth) have achieved better access to health services. GK also provided over 150 people with vocational skill training to be able to find a better job and to have an improved income security. For example: after completion of computer and embroidery training, 40 out of 60 women got new jobs.

The exchanges between GK and OKRA regarding elderly also continued, with OKRA Coordinator Mark DeSoete and three other staff from OKRA visiting Bangladesh. They also invited an actor who, based on his experiences in Bangladesh, created a play that will tour around the OKRA meeting points in Flanders during 2020 raising awareness about the issues of elderly and social protection.

Last, a lot of people benefited from the services provided by the WSM synergy program in Bangladesh. Nazma for example got training on social protection and labor law arranged by the synergy activity. As an activist and women leader, she was motived to learn about important labor laws and rights. On the 22nd of April 2019, all workers put forward a Charter of Demand to their factory management. Now workers get a weekly holiday, attendance bonus, maternity leave and casual leave with payment, medical facilities, etc. “Workers are finally enjoying their rights, which is a great achievement for me”, said Nazma.

As an impact of the activities of the WSM partners in the past three years, the WSM supported activities contributed that over 60.000 people found a new job or improved their existing job. Almost 300.000 people had better coverage, be it for social security or access to health. Three important legislation were also passed to benefit garment workers: the minimum wage was increased; Safe Working Condition were improved and freedom of Association for trade unions and collective bargaining were better guaranteed.

In 2019, over 600.000 people reached through:
For labour standards: over 160.000 garment workers (60% women and 70% youth) reached through:

• Over 150.000 garment workers are more aware of their rights through campaigns and public outreach. 
• Almost 3.000 garment workers are newly organized
• Almost 400 received basic or advanced training 
• Over 3.200 garment workers received legal assistance. 
• Over 1.200 workers were mobilised to demand to increase the minimum wage. 

155 people got vocational skill training through GK, and they raised awareness regarding women driving.
200.000 workers were made aware of their social security rights and 30 got a basic training.
Almost 200.000 people were involved to improve their access to health because of GK, with 15.000 people getting direct medical attention.

Partners: NGWF, GK, OHS Initiative, BSPAN               Budget 2019: 100.000€
Donor: Own WSM funds                                                   Programme: 2017-2021

International Solidarity in times of Corona - WSM position

On the WSM website, a specific page here is dedicated to news about the Corona pandemic and more specific on the actions taken by the members of the Network on the Rigth to Social Protection all around the world.

The coronavirus is wreaking havoc and makes no distinction in race or class. In Europe, it was brought back by middle-class families returning from their ski trips. It weren't refugees, migrants, or Eastern European workers that brought this pandemic upon the Flemish people. In Belgium, authorities managed to take short-term drastic action with accompanying social measures. In other countries, the population is worse off. International solidarity is needed now more than ever. Today, tomorrow and the day after.

Read the full position of WSM on the need for International Solidarity to curb the effects of the pandemic and its social and economical consequences here, with a specific focus on elderly here.

Bangladesh - COVID-19: corona testing kits and food distribution

Gonoshasthaya Kendra (GK), the biggest health provider in Bangladesh after the government, is at the forefront by developing a corona-virus testing kit (see our previous post here), GR Covid-19 Dot Blot, which would allow detect infection in 15 minutes.
After the green light to import the needed material, GK plans to have a first batch finished by the 11th of April, so that it can be submitted to WHO and the Bangladesh Government. If they approve it, they can start mass production. As previously reported, they want to make this testing kit available for as many people as possible, at a very affordable price of 200BDT(2 EUR), to avoid a massive outbreak.

GK has also started food distribution, with over 2.000 families assisted last week. These packages include rice, lentils, cooking oil and other necessities, with which a family should survive for one month. GK hopes to be able to help 100.000 families in one month. Follow their Facebook Page for more details. GK also invites people to support them here.

 The National Garment Workers Federation (NGWF) distributed rice, lentils, potatoes, onions, soap, and other essentials to 213 garment workers. Also,  Bangladesh Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Foundation (OSHE) distributed masks, gloves, soap and awareness leaflets among the ready-made garment workers. They called upon the Bangladeshi government to declare COVID-19 an Occupational Disease under the labour law.

According to OSHE, at present over a million of workers and employees in health service, waste recycling, food and medicine supply chain, ready made garments, tea plantation, mass media, bank and financial services etc. in Bangladesh continuing to serve at workplaces due to urgent national and commercial needs with potential health hazard and inadequate health and safety protection. Many of them potentially get infected with corona virus at work and on the way to work or get back home during this pandemic period require necessary legal protection.

Repon Chowdhury, Executive Director of the OSHE Foundation said “This is very much a genuine and timely demand under the context of present reality in Bangladesh. COVID-19 needs to be declared as an occupational disease under the present national Labour law immediately through an official executive order by the government towards ensuring health and safety rights of the working population at workplaces passing time with the vulnerability and risk of Covid-19 infection”.

Urgent efforts are needed to ensure that vulnerable group of workers and employees with COVID-19 should have appropriate access to proper housing, with space for quarantine and social distancing while sleeping and eating, potable water and proper sanitation facilities on and off the job, free health care, safe transport, safe work practices and income protection.

ILO overview of COVID-19 measures implemented by governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations, and the ILO for Bangladesh: link

GK to develop Corona test for Bangladesh

Dr. Kadir is the Coordinator of Gonoshasthaya Kendra (GK) in Bangladesh. GK provides health care and health insurance to vulnerable populations in Bangladesh. He shares with us his current impressions regarding COVID-19 in Bangladesh, which is one of the most populated countries in the world and has a very poor health system:

As of 18th March, there are over 10 confirmed cases in Bangladesh. Moreover, the government has recently started to quarantine people. Recent figures tell that there are 2.314 people in quarantine.  Furthermore, schools and other institutions closed since yesterday (17th of March). But still, I think the government is already too late in taking serious measures, which they should have done two or even three weeks ago.

Nowadays it’s flu season, meaning there are more patients at the hospitals than normal. It is not always clear whether it’s just a cold, a normal flu or the corona virus. Bangladesh's largest vernacular daily Prothom Alo reported that only 1,732 testing kits were available in a country of nearly 180 million people.

That’s why GK is developing a coronavirus testing kit, using the Rapid Dot Blot technique. We were recently joined by Dr Bijon Kumar Sil, a micro-biologist, who was also involved in the making of a similar test in Singapore during the SARS outbreak in 2003. This meant we have the necessary skills to develop a testing kit, as this is the biggest challenge in Bangladesh now.  We are 70% finished with the test kit and hope to be able to start mass producing them soon, now that government also has given the green light (link).

How much will your corona test kit cost? 
I think it’s important to make this testing kit available for as many people as possible. We want to use it in our own GK hospitals, as well as in other health institutions, so we will sell the kit at a very affordable price (200BDT), since we’re not trying to create any profit from it, our main goal is to avoid a massive outbreak.

Which populations are you especially worried about?
The garment workers are of particular concern to us, since this sector employs over 4 million people in Bangladesh and they are mostly, women working in very crowded and small confined spaces. The risk of contamination is thus very high. So far, all garment factories are continuing working and very few are taking preventive hygiene measures. That’s why in the factories GK is present, GK is mainly focusing on prevention measures, such as hand washing, producing hand sanitizers, mouth masks, posters etc.

Also elderly are an important at-risk group, with worldwide much higher mortality rates if they get infected. However, so far in Bangladesh, very few elderly have been diagnosed with the virus. This is a bit of a paradox: many elderly are living more isolated, since they don’t have a job or most often continue living in the rural areas, while the young go to the city to work. Since they often have problems of mobility, they are already more likely to stay at home. While this issue of isolation is currently maybe preventing them from getting infected, if the virus becomes a pandemic, this might be a very big problem for them, since these same factors will put them even more at risk.

25 March update: Bangladesh in one week time has had 20 reported cases and one death, of an elderly gentleman.

A one man show on elderly in Belgium and Bangladesh at the Flemish Parliament

Aren’t we happy? That is the title of Peter Lambert’s piece, looking at how elderly live in Bangladesh and in Belgium. Addressing the audience, he started: “You all look good, at least for your age. Shows you are healthy, which is the most talked about topic among elderly. You all managed to get here, so you are all still getting around. We are all here together, so not alone. And you managed to pay the entrance fee, so not too tight with money. Those are the same issues Bangladeshi elderly worry about: health, mobility, loneliness and finances.”

But while ageing is increasingly drawing more attention from policy makers and the ILO, “We talk a lot about elderly, but how often do we talk with elderly?” underlined Marc DeSoete from OKRA. So he asked the invited parliamentarians two questions: do you realize the importance of ageing in the world, and do you recognize the necessity of social movements like OKRA to ensure our voices are heard? “My father lives in a rural area, and OKRA is really the only thing that still gets him out of the door. Of course, we also visit him, but often, there are only caregivers that come to see him during the week. His most social events are, sadly, funerals...” shared Ann De Martelaer from Groen. “We can learn a lot about the respect for greet hairs from other countries, to keep the connection between generations.” said Joachim Coens, CD&V.
Even at 27, the youngest political party president in Belgium, Conner Rousseau from Sp.a, explained how, through his mother who studied gerontology and wrote a book “Grijs is wijs” (grey is wise), the importance of taking care of elderly was emphasized to him since the earliest years.

While most of the time, audience was laughing and giggling, the play also had moments of silence and respect. Peter explaining how his mother struggled to communicate in the last years of her life. An allegory of all the elderly of a village having to climb in a tree and hang on for dear life while the rest of the village shakes it draws a frightening image of what happens when a society has no social safety nets and we push survival of the fittest too far.

The one man show will tour many OKRA meeting points in order to provoke thoughts and discussion about elderly and international solidarity, as OKRA partners through WSM with GK in Bangladesh to set up elderly clubs.

A day in the life of two GK paramedics caring for the elderly in Bangladesh

Follow a day in the lives of two paramedics from Gonoshasthaya Kendra (GK) in Bangladesh. 


From the early morning on the GK campus in Savar, their day starts with the community work done in the fields by all GK staff.  Then they get dressed for work and their visits, have breakfast and set out on their iconic bicycles, after receiving their assignments.
Most elderly people are not economically solvent and depend on their family or relatives. Many elderly also have various kind of illnesses and aches. GK provides primary care services for the elderly at their doorstep, services such as: checking blood pressure, personal hygiene, nail cutting, etc.  Those cases needing more attention are brought to the GK hospitals, for services like physiotherapy, or prescribing affordable medication if necessary.
All this is done for GK with a rights based approach, since elderly have equal right for health care services. 

Internationalising elderly: exchanges in Bangladesh and Belgium lead to elderly clubs set up by GK

GK has also been exchanging since 2016 with OKRA, a Belgian member organisation of WSM for, by and with elderly, regarding the ageing population and the implications this has for social protection.

Dr Kadir: “This reflection and activities have made many changes inside GK. While we already treated many elderly through our health outreach, we are now switching this to a movement for and by the elderly, which is a major difference. The exchanges and joint statements from GK and OKRA for instance on the International Day for Elderly prompted us to think globally but act locally. GK has initiated ten elderly clubs that gather at least monthly and offer a space for elderly to get health advice, but more importantly to interact and feel less alone.  They can talk about the current political situation, meet with authorities and demand the pensions elderly should be entitled to, and also do sport activities at their level of comfort. The clubs also annually organize elderly festivals, which are important to have the rest of the village think about how elderly are treated and to ensure they are respected. Besides loneliness however, the main fear of these elderly is that they feel they are a burden for the rest of the family. Many Bangladeshi move from the rural areas to the city or even abroad, so the traditional care system for elderly is collapsing. Hence, we are also looking into possibilities of income generating activities these elderly clubs can set up."

Occupational Health and Safety training trickling down in Bangladesh

Another aspect of Bangladesh to highlight is the national networking or synergy.  As in other countries, WSM partners are offered the possibility to jointly develop services or lobby. From 2016 till 2018 part of the resources were invested in the Occupation Health and Safety Initiative, a “train-the-trainer” course which equips participants with the information and materials to put on their own training at the grassroots level with workers, community members, and members of their organizations.

A 2017 training participant from the public health organization Gonoshasthaya Kendra (GK) has conducted many grassroots workshops in the past on personal hygiene and first aid.  Based on last year’s 20-day ToT series, he has added occupational health and safety issues to his presentations so they now better address the reality of the people GK serves. Since last November, he has reached 800 people through his base-level public health and occupational health workshops. 

From 2019 onward, they will invest in the Bangladesh Social Protection Advocacy Network (BSPAN), a newly created multi-actor platform which gathers also the Bangladeshi AMRC partners.

Health Insurance Scheme for garment workers from GK also supported by European buyers (BAN18 - GK)

Dulali, 25 years was born outside of Dhaka, near the border with India. When she was 12, a marriage was arranged for her. With her husband, also a garment worker, she has two children, 7 and 3 years old, all living in one room. While she initially stayed at the house, she started working as garment worker two years ago, because she wanted to add to the family income. She pays 20€ for rent, which represents 25% of her salary. She has opened a bank account, on which she deposits half, but the other half of her salary she gives to her husband. She gave her testimony at the GK medical center in Panisail, where she came for pain killers since her appendix was still painful after it had been removed at the GK Hospital. This operation was covered by her health insurance with GK to which she subscribed over a year ago, while in a private clinic it would have cost at least 300€. She roughly estimated that through the health insurance, she has saved at least 500€ during the past year.

WSM partner, Gonoshasthaya Kendra (GK) or the People’s Health Center is the second largest health provider after the Bangladeshi government. While it initially focused on the rural areas, GK has included garment workers in the urban areas since these are also in need of support for their access to health. GK has adapted its health insurance scheme to garment workers, with contributions coming from the worker but also from the employer or the retailer in Europe, like the French supermarket chain Auchan which covers 20.000 garment workers (link).

2018 Update on the Bangladesh OHS Initiative

In Bangladesh, WSM and its partners have supported in 2016 till 2018 the OHS Initiative. You can find their latest newsletter here. 
As an extract, here an email interview with Masud Parvez, previously the Training Manager and now the Project Coordinator of the Bangladesh OHS Initiative for Workers and Community.

What have the participants in the 2017 training course done with their new skills and information?
At the end of the 20-day training course, the first group of participants carried out several training programs for their own organizations, part of the general effort of the participating organizations to make occupational health and safety a part of their regular project activities. Our records show that 20
of the program graduates from the five organizations participating last year carried out a total of 106 training sessions, each lasting from two hours to all day long, for 2,400 participants. Each organization tends to focus on specific topics. For example, some focused on labor law and the role of safety committees, others on hygiene in the workplace, and still others on gender and domestic and workplace violence.
According to our follow-up training plan based on discussions with the member organizations, they will conduct another 108 trainings reaching 2,160 participants by November. These trainings will be
conducted by graduates of both groups, with the new graduates leading two sessions each.

Bangladesh: the OHS Initiative organises a refresher ToT training on OHS

One of the main objectives of the OHS Initiative for Workers and Community Project is to develop a pool of 75 Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Trainers who will carry out a series of training by themselves to the rank and –file workers in different industrial sectors, with a target of reaching 6000 workers over a three year period. OHS Initiative recruited 29 Trainers from its five partners organization and provided in 2017 a 20 days long training on occupational health and safety, gender equality, leadership and workers rights, including basic ToT.

Over the last 6 months, the respective trainers (1st batch) of OHS Initiative project have been conducting their own training at the factory level and home based workers on safety issues.  Based on their field level training experiences and challenges, OHS Initiative designed and organized a 5 days long Refresher ToT course to re-energize the trainer’s knowledge, skills and confidence for the effective implementation of workers training at factory level. 

It was a refresher course aimed at mentoring the Trainers and increasing their knowledge on how they can best improve their training program in the workers community. The Refresher Training of Trainers course was five days with in total 26 participants. During the course, they viewed basic occupational health and safety, workplace risk assessment, ergonomics, safety committee and leadership. In addition, a new topic has been included in the course content on collective bargaining and conflict management as per participants demand.  Participants also developed a short module on basic OHS and practiced it. 

Commemorating Rana Plaza 5 years after in Dhaka

It feels strange to be in Dhaka on the 24th of April. This day is Bangladeshi’s 9/11, a day of commemoration where all newspapers headlines refer to the Rana Plaza tragedy that happened five years ago and which claimed the lives of 1138 garment workers and left more than 2.400 injured. The front page headlines aggressively remind us that "promises made mostly not implemented". There are over twenty five events commemorating the human made catastrophe, like rallies, human chains and others, some gathering survivors and family members. The events are filled with frustration and anger and demands. 

Invited by WSM's partner, the garment trade union NGWF, I went to a lighting of candles by children orphaned by Rana Plaza. It was a sad affair, with around twenty kids, most under ten years old, who were babies or toddlers when Rana Plaza collapsed, stealing their mother or father away.

A woman still cries recounting what happened, others blink tears away. They share their stories in front of cameras and mikes, highlighting their misery and sadness. And there is a lot of suffering to be shown, there are a lot of cameras and mikes to record. Bangladesh is in no way over what happened, though it sometimes seems the rest of the world has mostly forgotten and needs to be reminded of one of the worst industrial tragedy. It alerted people buying a T-shirt in the West to the world of sweat and exploitation that had gone into bringing a cheap T-shirt to their closets.

How to compensate

People here, gathered by trade unions and civil society are still demanding for better compensation for the victims, because the compensation paid to 5.000 workers had to use as reference their age and salary. While the formula is sound, with a legal minimum wage of currently 53€, this doesn’t amount to much. If a worker dies in a work related accident, family still gets a measly 1.000€, which even after Rana Plaza hasn’t been increased. NGWF demands that the amount would be calculated according to ILO Convention 121, adding compensation for pain and suffering.

What improved and what hasn't

What has improved are the security standards, with inspections and renovations done in almost 4.000 of the 5.000 factories in Bangladesh. This is done by multi-stakeholder initiatives gathering brands, factory owners, civil society and presided over by the ILO. This is an important achievement which was recently reconfirmed, with the Bangladeshi Accord on Fire and Safety renewed, despite resistance from government and employers. Still, it is a slow process and daunting task to improve safety. Since Rana Plaza, almost 100 factory accidents have happened, injuring 450 people and killing 80. But what hasn’t improved are the working conditions and wages. Trade unions like WSMs partner NGWF are an increase from the current legal minimum wage of 53€ to a living wage of at least 160€ per month. Organizing garment workers remains problematic, with half of trade unions which are applying for registration rejected and hampering the freedom of association.

Unlike 9/11, the Bangladeshi government doesn’t like that attention still goes to this tragedy, to the lack of adequate compensation and the ongoing problems in the garment sector. There is no monument at the site of the collapse, demands that the 24th of April would become a national holiday to observe workers safety day were not followed. Authorities are reluctant that events during the commemoration are organized at the site, not even a medical camp WSM’s partner GK wanted to organize for the injured. They are wary of journalists, often imposing they agree to be accompanied. The government is worried negative press will deter brands from ordering from Bangladesh, while the garment sector is very important for the economy.

Beacons of hope

At the event I attended, the orphans on the front row looked a bit bewildered at the eye of the camera. Most had no idea of what was happening, and why they had to be put on display. Rana Plaza caused extreme suffering and many want to remind the world of it, rub our noses in it, not make us forget. The children lit candles, which are supposed to symbolise hope. Many of the candles were blown out by the wind and had to be relight.

Rana Plaza site on the 24th of April in the afternoon,
with only few people and the flowers of the morning ceremony at the monument.

 At the Rana Plaza site, people and organisations queued for hours in the morning to deposit flowers at the small monument with a hammer and sickle, made by some communist organisation, since the government hasn't put anything there.


Where the ruins used to be is now a field, where relatives wander, the only way to visit the grave of their loved ones, as several bodies were never recovered. By the afternoon, most have left, the site feels lost again. Just some people mingle about, watching the occasional journalist come to take footage. The only sign of the government is three police trucks full of watchful men. No declarations were made by the government, not even an attempt at defending their actions or show some progress was made.

A woman I recognize from a physiotherapy session at GK comes to sit at the monument,
still wearing orthopedic braces on her back and arm.
She is obviously trying to send a message, but I am not sure many are there to listen.

Manila exchange GK-OKRA on elderly revisited

From 7 to 14 February 2018, GK and OKRA organized an exchange in Manila on the challenges of the elderly in Bangladesh and Belgium, which was facilitated by WSM. During this visit, through the assistance of COSE, both groups were also able to visit and exchange with elderly Philippinos, a very rewarding experience.

On the 11th of February, both organisations organized a successful mainstreaming workshop where GK and OKRA presented challenges of the elderly in Asia, Europe and the world, and where testimonies from elderly gathered by partners in different countries were read out. In a final panel discussion, the delegates of GK and OKRA not only presented their experiences in being a movement for, by and with the elderly but also the value added and the perspectives of their mutual partnership.

Yesterday, on 17th April, the results and conclusions of this exchange were presented to the daily board of OKRA in Brussels, who welcomed the outcome of the visit and confirmed their commitment to continue the partnership on the basis of the action plan that was drafted in Manila. A similar meeting will take place in the coming days in GK in Bangladesh. A video was also made of this visit which you can view here.

WSM would like to thank all those involved in making this exchange and partnership a success, in particular Dr. Kadir, coordinator of GK; Mieke Peeters, president of OKRA; Mark De Soete, General Director of OKRA; the daily boards of OKRA and GK, as well as the delegates of both organizations who were with us in Manila: Kamrun (Onu), Isahaque, Dulal, Maddie,  Bart, Ingrid, Niek, Jo. And with a special thanks to Jef Van Hecken for facilitating the preparations of the visit!

The ANRSP meets in Manila

Almost fifty participants, members of the Asia Network on the Right to Social Protection (ANRSP) gathered for six days in Manila to discuss the issues decent living income and social protection. With the input from various international experts, like from the ILO, WageIndicator, ITUC and ITUC Asia Pacific, as well as from experiences in the Philippines regarding the state of the health system, two members from each of the eighteen WSM partners from the six Asia countries agreed on elements to be included in a living wage, compared methodologies and applied them in their national context and found current minimum wages largely insufficient.
A common position on minimum living wage was drafted by the steering committee members, before the participants went on field visits organized by the WSM Filippino partners to a jeepney union and two public hospitals.

Before the second half of the meeting, which focused on social protection, started,  OKRA from Belgium and GK from Bangladesh jointly facilitated a session on the impact of elderly in society and the links it has with social protection. The two other networks in Asia focusing on social protection, the Network for Transformative Social Protection and the Asia Round Table on SP also explained their priorities and how we could complement each other’s work. At the end, plans for the international network on the right to social protection were also discussed as well as the action plan for the years to come and where the network would be advocating. Participants afterwards expressed a 84% satisfaction of the content and how useful it was for them, stating it “helps me a lot to understand the various issues affecting the lives of the people especially in terms of SP and DLI. It helps me to see the whole picture of what kind of SP we have in Asia.”