Empowering Women in Tamil Nadu's Textile Industry: A Story of Change

* Names have been changed to protect the identity of the individuals mentioned in the story.

A worn metal gate creaks open each morning as Pushpa* joins hundreds of women workers streaming into one of many Tamil Nadu's textile factories. Like many others, she left her home in Jharkhand (Eastern India) with dreams of supporting her ailing parents through honest work. Yet the path to financial independence proved far more treacherous than she imagined.

Tapan*, a supervisor at her textile factory, started to harass her. He would stop her from going anywhere alone, follow her to the market, and say things like, "Wherever you go, I’ll be there." The harassment escalated from stalking to late-night phone calls and inappropriate messages.

When she refused his advances, he threatened to ruin her reputation at work. She felt too afraid to speak up, worried it would only bring her shame. Finally, another worker told her about the factory's Internal Committee for addressing harassment. With their support, she reported everything to other supervisor. Tapan was immediately fired when she provided his messages and videos as evidence. Though relieved, the fear of him returning still lingers in her mind.

Tamil Nadu stands at the heart of India's textile industry, employing an astounding 43% of the country's 1.6 million women factory workers. These women form the backbone of a crucial economic sector, yet their daily reality often falls far short of the dignity and safety they deserve.

Many women come to Tamil Nadu's textile industry seeking financial independence and better opportunities. However, these workplaces, promising a brighter future, at times can become unsafe and oppressive environments. Migrant workers face heightened risks as they find themselves isolated due to language barriers and lack of local support networks, making them more vulnerable to exploitation.

A study conducted by READ, a non-governmental organization, reveals that nearly 50 per cent of interstate and intrastate migrant women workers have experienced harassment and abuse from supervisors or male workers. However, only 20 per cent of interstate and 50 per cent of intrastate workers report having Internal Committees in their workplaces to review harassment and abuse.

“Every woman deserves to work without fear," says Mr. Makesh R., General Manager for Human Resources and Administration at Asian Fabrics in Karur district. "The textile industry's future depends on ensuring our women workers feel safe and respected."

Sexual harassment and unsafe working conditions persist, exacerbated by gender discrimination, lack of supportive systems focused on survivors' needs, and limited enforcement of the Sexual Harassment at the Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013. The threat of retaliation, and the risk of losing their jobs prevents women from reporting incidents. Many women choose between their safety and their livelihood.

The Textile Industry Coalition (TiC), launched in February 2024, offers a coordinated response to these challenges. Led by key government departments in Tamil Nadu and supported by UN Women and H&M as partners, the TiC unites government, brands, factories, industry bodies, trade unions, and civil society to strengthen the implementation of the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (PoSH) Act.

“The TiC represents a watershed moment for our industry," says Mr. Ananda Krishnan, owner of KPR Mills Ltd. in Coimbatore. "We're not just talking about change – we're actively creating it, factory by factory, day by day." 

The coalition’s “zero tolerance” approach to gender-based violence includes men and boys, as active partners, shifting the framing from a “women’s issue” to a shared responsibility. Change agents, selected from within factories and communities, educate their peers about respectful behaviour, and available redressal mechanisms.

Omang Rai Narang, Country Manager of H&M India said, “H&M Group is committed to respecting fundamental human rights of people across our value chain. We are happy to be part of the TiC, which aligns with our objective of being a fair and equal company defined by our values. We hope that through this coalition, we are able to firmly cement the principle of zero tolerance to gender-based violence. This would greatly enhance the working conditions and the quality of life for the women workers in the textile and apparel industry, who are the backbone of our business.”

Since its launch, the Coalition has achieved several key milestones, including completing a baseline assessment at factories and communities, signing a tripartite agreement between two departments of the Government of Tamil Nadu and UN Women, conducting a design workshop with major stakeholders in Coimbatore, and being represented at the UN Responsible Business and Human Rights Forum in Bangkok in September 2024.

Stressing the importance of empowering women in the textile industry, Susan Ferguson, Country Representative for UN Women in India, commented: “We welcome the Government of Tamil Nadu's strong commitment to galvanize industry action toward creating safe workplaces for women and girls. As a convener of TiC, UN Women will continue to support stakeholders to strengthen prevention efforts and enable a survivor-centric response mechanism.”

Today, Pushpa serves as a peer educator in her factory's safety committee. "When I see new workers arrive from other states," she says, "I make sure they know their rights and where to seek help. No woman should face what I faced alone."

For more information about joining the coalition, email: [ Click to reveal ]