From Factories to Families: Unveiling the Harsh Realities Faced by Karnataka's Women Garment Workers

Explore Cividep's Latest Report and Documentary that Spotlight the Struggles of Women Workers

Puttathayamma has changed factories 11 times in two decades. Due to health issues, she can no longer handle the pressure of tailoring, so she now works as a lowly helper. “Managers force us to work overtime during busy periods,” she says. No wonder Puttathayamma feels “completely exhausted and exploited.”?This is one of many stories from Cividep India’s latest research report , The Home and the World of Work, which provides an in-depth look at the lives of women garment workers in Karnataka. Cividep recently launched the report and a documentary ?based on it at the Bangalore International Centre during an event attended by civil society organisations, policymakers, worker representatives, and the media.?The report, based on interviews with 184 women garment workers over two years, paints a disturbing picture of the industry's practices. Many workers earn as little as ?10,000 a month, well below the minimum wage in other sectors. Overtime is common but rarely compensated, and women face restrictions on bathroom breaks. “It is against this backdrop of female labour force participation and declining employment in manufacturing that we narrate the lived experiences of garment workers,” said Deepika Rao, Executive Director of Cividep India.Cividep also screened the?documentary film, Garment Kelsa: Women & Work , directed by Aarthi Parthasarathy of Falana Films. The film portrays the immense personal burdens these women face at work and home.

Key Findings

Wages and Earnings: 61% of workers want better wages, 82% work overtime, but only 58% are paid for the extra hours. Some were forced to take additional jobs just to survive.

Abuse and Conditions: 100% of workers faced verbal abuse, 68% had restricted toilet breaks, and 61% experienced physical abuse.

Unionisation and Health: Only 5-10% of the workforce is unionised, and many workers are physically overworked and mentally drained.

Generational Labour: 60% of workers’ children are now in low-wage jobs, showing the persistence of poverty across generations.

Social Reproduction: The system relies on women's unpaid labour to sustain the workforce, further exploiting them through low-paid jobs.

The report, film clips and worker stories are available at a newly created digital platform,?Workers' Observatory . Please read and share.

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