What does it take to make the workplace safe for women, free from sexual harassment and gender-based violence? What are some of the ways women have won improvements, and how did they build their power to do this?In this episode:A union in Indonesia declares an industrial park a ‘harassment free zone’: Dian Septi Trisnanti, FBLP, IndonesiaAn Enforceable Brand Agreement aims to end severe gender-based violence in factories in Lesotho: Motheba Ramaema & Sam Mokhele, NACTWU, Rola Abimourched, WRC.Rukmini tells her story of becoming a union founder, and why more women need to lead worker struggles: Rukmini, GLU, IndiaCampaigns to ratify ILO Convention 190 on Violence and Harassment: Priscilla Robledo, CCC Italy and Sina Marx, FEMNET, GermanyPlease tell us what inspired you about this show, and share your feedback, comments and questions, by emailing: podcast@cleanclothes.org Speakers: Dian Septi Trisnanti, founder of FBLP union (Federasi Buruh Lintas Pabrik) , Chairperson of KPBI union, IndonesiaMotheba Ramaema, shop steward, National Clothing, Textile and Allied Workers Union, LesothoSam Mokhele, General Secretary, National Clothing, Textile and Allied Workers Union, LesothoRola Abimourched, Senior Program Director at the Worker Rights Consortium, USA. Rukmini Vaderapura Puttaswamy, President of Garment Labour Union (GLU), Bangalore. Priscilla Robeldo, campaigner and lobby and advocacy coordinator with CCC Italy.Sina Marx, Coordinator International Projects and Campaigns, FEMNET, Germany. Host: Febriana Firdaus (febrianafirdaus.com) Field Reporter: Harsha VadlamaniInterpreter: KaveriSound Engineering Support: Steve Adam (www.spectrosonics.com.au) Producer: Matthew Abud Clean Clothes Podcast Team: Anne Dekker, Johnson Ching-Yin Yeung, Liz Parker, Tanne de Goei Full Transcript DIAN:When we built our union in 2009, most of us, the officers, are women. And we have the same vision for the equality and also fight against GBV. We have method in organise women workers as women. HOST:That’s Dian Septi Trisnanti, one of the founders of the Forum Buruh Lintas Pabrik union, or FBLP in Indonesia. Welcome to episode two of the Clean Clothes podcast. I’m Febriana Firdaus. This time, we’re talking women workers – about the violence and harassment they often endure And some ways of building power and fighting back. In 2014 Dian’s union joined with other organisations, to promote women’s rights in a large industrial park in North Jakarta, Indonesia. DIAN:There are two union, one women’s organisation, and Jakarta Legal Aid, become one alliance in the women worker committee, to struggle against GBV, gender based violence. We have two programs, the first program is to install warning board that the industrial park is free from Gender Based Violence or sexual harassment. HOST:The warning board was a large sign that announced the industrial park was a zone free of gender-based violence and harassment. It was part of a strategy to raise the profile and awareness of this as an issue for workers. And of course, as a warning to any perpetrators. DIAN:The industrial park, KBN Cakung, in North Jakarta, agreed to install the warning board in 2016 on November, it’s the international day against women violence. HOST:Dian also directed a documentary film, Angka Jadi Suara, which followed this effort. The film shows the effort behind the campaign. This included lobbying the management of the industrial park, and the Ministry of Women Empowerment and Child Protection. At the centre of the film though, is the workers – and the sexual harassment and gender-based violence they experience. DIAN:There were one person, one woman, who want to tell the story. This women, my friend yeah, she has a trauma. The interview takes about five hours and we have to stop about one hour just to give her time to stop and then take a breath and then take a break. And after that I asked to her if she want to stop then we will stop. But she said that she will not stop because if not now, then when? And after the documentary finish the first person that we give the edited version is her. HOST:The documentary had a number of public screenings, and media coverage. It took the story beyond the industrial park, to a bigger audience. The voices of women workers, are at the centre of the union’s efforts. In 2012 they established community radio station Marsinah FM. The station is named after Marsinah, a female union leader murdered in 1993 under the Suharto dictatorship. DIAN:We know that as a women, the social construction always ask us to be silent and do not have any chance to share our opinion. We have to be brave enough to speak up our mind. The community radio teach us to speak up our mind in our studio. We have journalistic, journalism training. We encourage women workers to write their story. It increase women workers’ confidence that they have ability to write, to ...
