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"Project to improve working conditions for women in South India's fabric mills - Exclusive", 30 September 2019

The first phase of a project by Shop Direct, Next Plc and Varner to improve employment conditions for young women in South India's fabric mills has engaged about 9,500 people...

...the group says about 950 workers have received training and support to boost life skills, confidence, and awareness of employment rights, with the aim of enhancing peer interaction, improving relationships between workers and managers and establishing better policies, procedures and grievance handling systems.

This was supported by village-based outreach to more than 8,500 people, designed to raise awareness of issues affecting female mill workers among potential employees, their families and local communities...

... following the success of phase one, Shop Direct, Next and Varner are working with Tamil Nadu-headquartered NGO RIghts Education And Development Centre (READ) on the design of a second phase which will launch before the end of 2019...