Skip to main content
Home

Main menu

  • Home
  • Who we are
    • Who we are
      • ETI's origins
    • Our members
    • Governance
    • Our team
      • ETI Board members
  • What we do
    • What we do
    • Membership
    • ETI initiatives
    • Events
    • Training
      • All courses
      • Human rights essentials
      • E-learning module: Access to remedy principles
      • Bespoke training
  • Join ETI
  • ETI Base Code
    • ETI Base Code
    • 1. Employment is freely chosen
    • 2. Freedom of association
    • 3. Working conditions are safe and hygienic
    • 4. Child labour shall not be used
    • 5. Living wages are paid
    • 6. Working hours are not excessive
    • 7. No discrimination is practiced
    • 8. Regular employment is provided
    • 9. No harsh or inhumane treatment is allowed
  • Insights
    • Insights
    • Blog
      • Blog series: Protecting workers in high-risk areas
      • Blog series: Advancing living wages
      • Blog series: Gender equity across supply chains
    • Resources
      • Case studies
    • Issues
      • Human rights due diligence
      • Gender equity
        • Violence and harrassment
        • Gender data initiative
        • Gender equality - international standards
        • Gender equality - resources
      • Supply chain transparency
      • Grievance mechanisms & remedy
      • Union rights at work
      • Migrant workers
      • Child labour
      • A living wage for workers
        • Living wage initiatives
        • Living wage resources
        • Living wage standards
        • Wages and purchasing theories
      • COVID-19
      • Company purchasing practices
      • Modern slavery
        • Modern slavery and transparency standards
        • Modern slavery evaluation framework
        • Modern slavery initiatives
        • Modern slavery resources

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. insights
  3. resources
  4. case studies

Supporting women's health and hygiene at work

Base code clauses
Base Code clause 3: Working conditions are safe and hygienic
Programmes
Garments and textiles, India
Issues
Gender equality - resources
Sectors
Garments

Lack of access to sanitary products at work can present major challenges for women workers.

When women are forced to go for long periods without being able to attend to sanitary hygiene, it not only impacts on their productivity but can cause health problems such as ulcers and UTIs. .

This issue was discussed at a Peer Educators meeting and later taken to the Safety Committee. As an immediate and interim measure, the management provided a female supervisor with sanitary pads to be provided free of charge on request.

As a longer-term solution, the educators persuaded managers to install a sanitary pad vending machine. These have also been provided in four of their other spinning mill units, near the ladies restroom.

Peer educator quote: I have done only elementary education and I had been always feeling inferior to others; training on ‘self’ helped me to realise who I am. Now I know I am no more inferior to anyone and I can do anything like others.”

Stay up to date

Stay up to date with the latest from ETI via the following channels:
  • Email
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Blog RSS

Related content

  • Gender-responsive occupational safety and health in supply chains
  • A Bhopal every month
  • Advice from ETI member ARCO, the largest supplier of PPE in the UK, on purchasing PPE during the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Bangladesh factory collapse: unions essential to improve standards
  • Can China ever be safe?
  • Checklist for COVID-19-related health and safety measures

Get the latest

Subscribe to our email newsletters and stay up to speed on ethical trade.
Subscribe

ETI elsewhere

  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube

Footer

  • ETI Community
  • Accessibility
  • Contact
  • FAQ
  • Jobs at ETI
  • Press resources
  • Security & privacy
Other ETIs: Bangladesh, Denmark, Norway, Sweden
Ethical Trading Initiative | Registered No. 3578127