The Tirupur Stakeholders Forum (TSF), an initiative of the Tiruppur Exporters’ Association (TEA), organized a “Knowledge Sharing Session on Women’s Safety and Gender-Based Violence and Harassment (GBVH) at the Workplace” on 11^th December 2024. The event was held at the Padmashri. Dr. A. Sakthivel Auditorium with the support of the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) and the Textile Industrial Coalition (TIC).

Our President Shri. K.M. Subramanian, Vice President and Chairman of TSF Shri. V. Elangovan, General Secretary Shri. N. Thirukkumaran, Joint Secretary Shri. Kumar Duraiswamy, District Social Welfare Officer, GoTN, Smt. N.  Ranjithadevi, Chairman of the Business Promotion, Branding & Sustainability Subcommittee Shri. M. Anand, Chairman of Arbitration Subcommittee Shri. R. Ramu, Chairman of the Women Empowerment Subcommittee Smt. Sumita Ravi and representatives from NGOs like Sakshi, UN Women and women leaders from various Trade Unions participated in the event.

In his welcome address, Shri. Elangovan emphasized the importance of discussing GBVH issues in the workplace and encouraged women to actively engage in the session to share their insights.

Shri. Kumar Duraiswamy, our Joint Secretary highlighted that this session was a continuation of the HR Conclave, focusing on women’s safety and GBVH at the workplace. He noted that a significant number of women in Tamil Nadu, especially in the apparel sector, are employed in various industries, with a notable concentration in Tirupur. He mentioned that the Tamil Nadu government has established over 2,800 Women’s Internal Committees, many of which are in Tirupur. He also spoke about the Women Empowerment Subcommittee of TEA, which has been actively working to build awareness about breast cancer and organize screening camps in the region. He urged women leaders from trade unions to participate in wage agreement discussions to further empower women workers in the sector.

In his presidential address, Our President Shri. K.M. Subramanian, called for a workplace free from harassment and underscored the need for more awareness programs to educate women about their rights and safety. He shared that in his own company, 90% of the workforce comprises women and reiterated the importance of creating a safe and supportive environment for them. He also commended the cooperation of NGOs and ETI in making the event possible and encouraged participants to share best practices and codes of conduct followed by their companies during the interactive session. He assured that the proceedings of the meeting would be documented and shared with all TEA members. He also mentioned that approximately 20% of the workforce in Tirupur’s apparel industry consists of migrant women and he affirmed that the Tirupur cluster is regarded as a safe and secure environment for women workers.

Shri. N. Thirukkumaran, our General Secretary reaffirmed TEA’s zero-tolerance policy towards gender-based violence and harassment in the workplace. He also mentioned that the POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment) Act in Tamil Nadu, provides legal protection for women in the workplace.

Smt. N. Ranjithadevi, District Social Welfare Officer, Government of Tamil Nadu, in her closing address, commended Tirupur for being safer for women compared to other cities. She also highlighted the importance of women participating in government competitive exams and gave a brief overview of the POSH Act, encouraging all participants to remain informed about their rights and legal protections.

In the interactive session, the female participants emphasized the importance of creating safe workplaces for women and fostering a culture of respect and equality.

The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Smt. P. Suganthi, a member of our Women Empowerment Subcommittee.

Earlier in the event, Smt. N. Ranjithadevi, Smt. Preetha Jayaseelan from UN Women and Dr. A.  Aruna from ETI were honoured for their commendable contributions towards women’s empowerment and safety.