Bangladesh
Child Rights in Bangladesh
Bangladesh is one of the world’s largest garment exporters, with the ready-made garment (RMG) sector accounting for 84 percent of Bangladesh’s exports and employing approximately four million garment workers, mostly women. Although progress has been made in addressing working conditions, significant challenges and risks related to child rights remain. These challenges are further magnified by uncertainties around trade tariffs and HRDD legislation, which can have a significant impact on the sector and the people who form its backbone.
Child labour remains a serious issue in Bangladesh and has worsened since the pandemic. According to the ILO, nearly 1.2 million children aged 5 to 14 are believed to be working. Poverty and low wages are major drivers. Many children work in informal settings where there is little oversight and no effective monitoring, especially in the lower tiers of supply chains.
Supporting You in Bangladesh
The Centre works in Bangladesh to help factories prevent and remediate child labour, support young workers with access to decent work and create family-friendly workplaces. Since 2024, we have been implementing a Child Rights Action Hub that brings together global brands to collectively tackle child labour at scale in the lower tiers of the ready-made garment sector. Our assessments from across a range of industries show that more needs to be done to protect the rights of workers and communities connected to global supply chains. This includes improving access to employer-supported childcare, maternity support and protection for young workers. Human rights risk assessments that include lower tiers are essential to understand risks and create action plans for meaningful human rights due diligence. Stronger age verification systems, training and capacity building on responsible recruitment are also needed to minimise risks, create more resilient supply chains and protect children, youth and workers.
Browse Our Work in Bangladesh
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