Imagine you’re in pain, you’re bleeding, but you cannot leave work. You do not only risk consequences – you physically cannot leave the premises without the permission of your boss.
That is the reality for thousands of female workers at garment factories in South and South East Asia. Especially in Myanmar, the situation got even worse within the past four years, since the military forcibly took power, (re)installing a dictatorship. Even when the female workers are on their period they have to work overtime, six days a week and without proper sanitary facilities. In addition, the prices for menstrual pads have been rising so high, that most workers cannot afford them anymore. The toilets aren’t clean, there’s trash all over the place, the lights aren’t working properly and the workers use left over fabric from the garment factories as pads, often resulting in infections and allergies.
Not just in Myanmar – affected people all over the world have to pay for their own menstrual products and need to perform like anyone else on their jobs while suffering from pain and bleeding. Some are worse off than others as pain is always individual, and the various factors that lead to pain affect each person differently and vary from day to day.
In some countries, like South Korea, Taiwan and Zambia, some form of a right to menstrual leave was introduced already. Also, in Spain a similar regulation was just passed in 2023. Looking at these examples, there is no excuse for other countries not to follow suit!
We demand for menstruating people all over the world:
- Free menstrual products at the workplace or the payment of a bonus equal to the cost of these products!
- Paid leave for workers during their menstruation period!
- Adjustment of workload for pregnant or menstruating workers and dropping of imposed production targets!
Our demands are directed at the factory owners as well as the clothing brands, which mainly profit from the exploitation inside the factories. They must ensure that the required conditions are met in the factories they source from!
Come to the rally! In solidarity with the affected workers in Myanmar and worldwide. As an expression of solidarity, please bring artistically designed menstrual products (tampon necklace etc.).
What: Rally in solidarity with textile workers in Myanmar (FGWM)
When: 07.03.2025 – 17.30 hrs
Where: in front of H&M at Kurfürstendamm 237
This action supports the demands of the Federation of General Workers Myanmar (FGWM). The FGWM consists of 7 (factory) trade unions, mainly in the garment sector. Due to the military dictatorship, the FGWM is dependent on international solidarity in order to continue its trade union activities.
Further information and donation campaign for the FGWM: www.fgwm-solidarity.org
AG8M, FAU Berlin
faub-ag8m@fau.org