To reduce young workers vulnerability to high-risk jobs in textile industry, Freedom Fund, a community-based organisation, is initiating a three-year programme in four districts of the State in coordination with Geneva Global.
P. Balamurugan, and A. Jaleel, programme managers of Geneva Global said that textile industry was a major source of employment and income for many families.
Adolescent girls, young women, and migrant workers were recruited at spinning mills where the working condition was extremely exploitative.
Though the initiatives by the government had led to improvements in labour conditions, the problem continued to exist, they added.
Problems include, working overtime, restrictions on movement and communication with others, and extremely low pay.
Hence, to reduce the young worker’s vulnerability to high-risk jobs, the organisation will work alongside local government bodies and businesses to improve jobs for young women.
The programme will be launched in Virudhunagar, Erode, Namakkal and Dindigul districts to make a better and safe situation for young workers and generate a wide range of opportunities for adolescents under 18 years. As many as 13 local organisations in these districts will work closely with groups of the families that are under the pressure in sending their children to work in unsafe environment. The organisations will help families develop better economic opportunities and reduce their reliability on moneylenders and enable the government assistance schemes reach them effectively. They will focus on ways for adolescents in going to school and also undergo vocation training.
Published - July 30, 2015 12:00 am IST
